The heart wants what it wants
by Besweet
Summary: Life, love and family
1. Chapter 1

_**Author's**_ _ **note**_ : **I don't know how long this story will be yet, we will see I guess. We can never have enough of Ryu x Kasumi right.**

 **Review and let me know what you think. Good or bad I would like to hear your honest opinion.**

 _ **Disclaimer:**_ **I do not own any of these characters. All characters belong to Koei Tecmo and Team Ninja.**

 **Happy Reading!**

* * *

 **~The heart wants what it wants~**

Hayate and Ayane were waiting at the Mugen Tenshin village main gate to welcome their sister Kasumi back home. Seventeen-year-old Ayane, the youngest of the siblings ran ahead when she caught a glimpse of Kasumi, and then jumped hugged her sister. Kasumi stumbled backward making her suitcase fall out of her hand and onto the ground. She wrapped her arms around Ayane as they both giggled in excitement.

"Kasumi, you're finally back!"

"I've missed you too Ayane."

"You have to tell me everything about your trip and do not leave any juicy parts out." Ayane demanded.

"What juicy part?" Kasumi winked and teased. She picked up her suitcase from the ground while her other arm locked around Ayane's neck. They walked inside the gate together. Kasumi then gave her big brother a wide smile and put her suitcase down to give him a big hug.

"Welcome home, Kasumi." Hayate said while stroking her back and placed a light kiss on top of her head.

"Thank you, and it's so good to see you guys again." Kasumi smiled looking at her brother and sister. She had missed them dearly. "Where's mother and father?"

"They're away right now but they will be back later." Hayate explained.

"They were so happy that you decided to come back home." Ayane added.

Kasumi was happy to be back together with her family, just like the old days. She walked side by side her siblings towards their home. A smile of joy lit up her face when happy memories emerged brightly in her mind. _There is no place like home_ … it had been two years since she left the village.

Later that night after dinner and the fun of catching up the lost time with her dearest family, Kasumi said her good night. Her body and mind were jetlag and tired after a long flight home, but still she couldn't sleep for some reason and decided to unpack instead. While Kasumi was putting her clothes in the dresser, something accidently fall out of her hand and hit the ground by her feet. She bend down to pick the item up. Kasumi got a little emotional when she looked at the little picture frame she had brought home. Her eyes then tracked to the scar on her left arm. The scar had almost faded, as it had been pink a few months ago. She remembered what had caused the scar, and tears began to spill from her helpless eyes and onto the picture frame in her hand. It brought back many memories, some good but mostly painful memories. Kasumi believed that everything happened for a reason. Now she was starting a new life back home where she belong. She was a princess in her village and she had missed being a ninja. Kasumi hadn't trained in two years and that was where her focus would be before she would go back to missions. A smile suddenly appeared on her lips, remembering the days when she would be alongside her siblings and her best friend going out on dangerous missions, sometimes even out of the country depending on the missions.

Sighing at the memories, she put the picture away, then walked towards the window and stare outside. There was a view of the mountains that laid in the distance, the clear night sky covered with shining stars that looked like fireflies. She smiled happily while inhaling the cool comfortable night air.

 _Such a beautiful night, so calm and_ _peaceful._

Where she had been living for the past two years, all she could hear during night time was a busy street with traffics all night long, something that she hated and never had gotten used to. As she looked up to see the stars, a familiar face suddenly emerged freshly in her mind, a face that she had missed, her best friend that she had lost touch with when she had moved away. The memories of their childhood brought a smile to her lips but the smile slowly faded when the guilt inside her chest washed over her like a wave, the guilt of not keeping in touch because she was too busy with her own life. A heavy sigh escaped her lips thinking about everything. Kasumi then yawned her eyes out as she was finally sleepy enough. She closed the window and shut the curtains to get ready for bed.

Days had passed since Kasumi had been home. She had asked her father if she could soon go back to doing missions and getting started with her duties again. Shiden agreed but that he would find a C rank mission to begin with as an A rank could be too much for her since she hadn't trained in a while. Kasumi gladly accepted. The next thing on her to do list was to get started with her ninjutsu training and she would also need new weapons. The day after she headed to the big city Tokyo to get her weapons made by an expert in making ninja weapons.

The bell that was hanging on top of the door to the shop made a noisy sound after Kasumi had pushed it open. She walked inside but no one was around. Seconds later, an old man came out from around the corner.

"Kasumi? How wonderful to see you here."

Kasumi turned towards the man and with a wide smile, "Muramasa. It has been awhile and it is good to see you." She bowed respectfully to the weapon maker.

"It has indeed my dear, and what's bring you here?" He asked.

"Well, I need some of your fine weapons for my next mission."

"I might have the perfect weapons for you, let me go down and get them for you to see. I will be right back." The old man said and went downstairs to his basement. Ninjas live in secrecy, and not many knew of their existence. By day, Muramasa ran an antique shop to avoid suspicions.

"Thank you." Kasumi politely replied. While waiting, Kasumi walked around admiring the antiques that crowded the stuffy little shop. So many interesting items from books to vases, dolls and furniture. Her mind spun back to centuries before, it was as if she was peeking into the past. Some of the items had travelled through more time than a person can.

The bell on top of the door suddenly made another noisy sound. Kasumi turned her attention towards the door to look at who had come inside the shop, obviously a customer she thought. She peeked around the corner. A tall muscular man with reddish brown long hair tied to the back walked in. Kasumi could not believe her eyes _…_

 _It's him, wow he has gotten taller and more muscular._

"Muramasa?" He called after the old man.

At the same time, Kasumi walked around the corner making him turned to look.

"Kasumi...?" He stared at her a little confused, his expression went from confusion to a pleasantly surprise. The surprised expression soon turned into a big smile.

Kasumi smiled back. Then she ran toward him with her arms wide open. He caught her effortlessly as she slightly jumped and he eagerly responded the hug.

She was so happy to see him. He laughed, as he was happy to see her but he was still a little surprised. "Oh wow Kasumi, how have you been? are you back visiting? why didn't you tell me...?"

"Um, well I..."

"Here you go, one special made katana and wind shuriken." Muramasa came back and then paused in his tracks.

"Ryu, what a nice timing."

Kasumi looked at the weapons thoroughly, then swung open the wind shuriken and smirked with satisfaction. Both men silently observed.

"Thank you Muramasa, these are Perfect."

"I knew you'd like them. Well, my work here is done. It is nice to see you again Kasumi and good luck with your mission." Muramasa gathered his belongings and left the shop for the day. Kasumi bowed but she was a little confused of why Muramasa had left without closing the shop. Ryu then went around the desk and looked at some paper work. Kasumi was still confused. Ryu looked at her and smiled, noticing Kasumi's puzzled expression.

"I work here, I help Muramasa runs the shop whenever I have the time." He explained.

"I see…" She stared at him not sure of what to say or do next. Since he was working, Kasumi thought that it would be best to leave and not disturb him. She grabbed her weapons and was about to say her goodbye when Ryu walked passed her walking towards the door, and then he turned the open sign that was hanging on the door to closed. Kasumi was once again puzzled of why Ryu would close the shop when he just got to work.

Ryu turned to face her, "You're not in a hurry are you?"

"Not really but..."

"Good, you're having tea with me." He smiled.

Kasumi couldn't help but smiled back. Ryu gave her a look that he wouldn't take no for an answer. She then followed him upstairs into the little kitchen in the shop. Ryu went ahead and grabbed the kettle to get the water ready for boiling while Kasumi leaned on a small round tea table in the kitchen corner. She once again found herself staring at him. He put the kettle on the stove and then leaned himself by the counter next to the stove facing Kasumi.

"How long will you be staying in town for?"

"I'm back for good. I didn't just purchase these weapons for fun you know."

"Right..." He looked down and let out a light sigh.

A brief of silence fell between the two, then their eyes met as they said in unison.

"Ryu I should have kept in tou…" "I'm really glad that you're back Kasu…" They stopped at the same time. Kasumi turned her gaze away and Ryu grabbed the back of his neck feeling a little awkward. She had missed him dearly. Her childhood best friend that she could go to whenever she needed someone and they would talk almost daily and for hours. They used to train together and go out on missions side by side. They were once partners in crime, so much had changed ever since she left and she can only hope that their closeness that they once shared wasn't completely gone.

"I've missed you…" Ryu suddenly said in a low voice making Kasumi looked back at him. A slow smile worked its way across her face and into her eyes. Her cinnamon eyes met his emerald eyes, as if they could read each other's mind. An easy silence fell between them once again. The kettle whistling broke their silence, Ryu then turned to prepare the tea. Kasumi took her seat at the table and soon Ryu joined her with two cups of hot tea. They were making small talks at first but it didn't take long before the room filled with joyous laughter, reminiscing about old times. They had talked about anything and everything just like the old days. Their little reunion shortly ended as Ryu had to open the shop and Kasumi had to go home. She gave him a quick hug and they made a promise to meet up more often.

Kasumi and Ryu kept their promise. Almost every evening of that week after Ryu had closed the shop, Kasumi came by for tea, then they would go for walks around the city, and then walk back home to their villages together. Ryu would follow Kasumi home.

Days had passed since they last saw each other. Kasumi had to go on a mission that her father had assigned her, and Ryu was busy being the leader of his clan as well running the antique shop on the side.

Like any other regular night, Ryu closed up the antique shop after he was finished with his shift. He turned around to leave when Kasumi stood behind him waiting for him. He was startled but happy to see her. She did say that she would come to see him by the end of the week when her mission was over. He walked over to her with a soft smile on his lips and swung his arm over her shoulder and she swung hers around his waist.

"What should we do today?" Ryu asked as they started to walk around the city.

"Hmm…" Kasumi was thinking for ideas.

"Are you hungry?" He then asked.

"I am actually."

"Let's go grab something to eat then." Ryu suggested. Kasumi nodded and the pair made their way to a restaurant nearby. As usual, a friendly conversation started between them, they were talking about settling down and how Ryu's father had nagged him to find a wife.

"You're THE super ninja and as handsome and smart as you are, I wouldn't blame the every unmarried girl in the village that is out to get your ring on their finger." Kasumi giggled.

Her admiring tone made him feel about ten feet tall.

"When you put it like that I do sound pretty charming," He joked and they burst into a soft laughter. He looked down to his food with a frown, then he leaned close to her and lowered his voice. "The truth is, I do want to get married but not until I can find the right woman who wants what I want out of life."

"Understandable." Kasumi replied while sipping from her drink.

He stared at her with his pure green eyes as if he wanted to tell her a secret. "There was someone…" He began and it made Kasumi curious. "But please keep this to yourself."

"Your secret is safe with me." She assured.

"Well, about a year ago I was on my biggest mission yet. I had to go to America for this one."

"That far huh."

Ryu lightly nod his head, "The mission was only going to take about two weeks but I stayed there for six months because of this girl that I met..."

Kasumi listened curiously.

"Her name was Irene, I was crazy for her Kasumi and I had never been crazy for anyone before."

"Crazy. That's a dangerous word Ryu."

"Tell me about it," He quickly replied.

"Did it ended…badly?"

"A real mess, she had mood swings, serious ones. She was addicted to prescription painkillers and alcohol, but while we were together she would never get help and she just became too much for me to handle."

Kasumi felt a little bad for him.

"I lied to my father of where I was, and I even considered moving to New York at one point just so I could be with her. I was starting to forget who I was and I almost abandoned my clan and my responsibilities for a broken relationship. I also found out that she had been cheating on me, I finally broke it off with her. I was still crazy for her when I told her that it was over, it hurt like hell you know...to end it." He shook his head as the painful memories came rushing back in his mind.

"Oh Ryu, I'm sorry to hear that."

"I was a wreck for months after that, depression hit me like a ton of bricks. I didn't have anyone to talk to so I felt very alone for a while but I'm okay now."

The statement hit Kasumi like a knife through her chest, she wasn't there for him. She was supposed to be the one he could go to and talk about these things. She let out a light sigh trying not to show Ryu that his words had slightly bothered her.

"What happened to her?"

"She went into treatment finally, but I lost touch with her after that."

"Do you still…?"

"Love her?" Ryu finished her thought.

"Nope, when I think back on it all I feel is sorry for her. She was such a mess and I was such a fool!" Ryu shook his head, "and that's what bothers me, you know? that I would fall for someone as troubled as she was when I know better."

"I understand completely." Kasumi's lips held a faint comforting smile.

"I can tell you this much, never again." He took another sipped from his drink.

Silence fell between them. He studied her from across the table. Funny, how he had always been comfortable with Kasumi. Since way back when they were kids when he was ten and she was eight, now he was twenty-five and she was twenty-three, he still felt the same closeness that they shared in their earlier days. He hadn't had a lot of friends as a kid, back then he was a loner and shy. He was often by himself at school and he didn't have any siblings either which made his life at home extra lonely since his parents never got along. Ryu's father was often away and when he was home, he was too busy fighting and shouting with his mother. One day she just left without looking back. Ryu would keep himself busy with his hobbies and training. He was a lonely kid until Kasumi and her siblings came into the picture. He met them when he visited Kasumi's village with his father. They were the only ones who wanted to be friends with him, while the other kids thought he was a little strange. Nobody had pure green eyes like his where he was from and for that, he was often bullied for his looks, they called him a cursed child, and that was the reason why his mother didn't want him and left. Growing up he believed them and it definitely ruined his self-esteem for a long time. However, Kasumi had told him that his eyes looked cool and that she liked them. She would often tagged along on Ryu's fishing trips, they spent a lot of time together. She was a very important person in his life, the only true friend he ever had.

She noticed his glare, "What?"

"Just thinking how some things stays the same, no matter how many years go by." He coolly said making her smile. Her charming smile warmed his eyes.

His eyebrows drew closer together and his eyes slightly narrowed. There was something that he noticed about Kasumi that had made him a little curious. Her eyes, he thought, looked kind of sad. He took a sip of his coffee and made a soft sound in his throat. He also noticed the scar on her left arm.

"Is it from your trip?" He asked.

"Uh what?"

"The scar, did you get that from your trip? I haven't seen that scar on you before." He strangely pointed out.

"Well yeah, kind of..."

He noticed he had made her uncomfortable by the question. A long silence surrounded the table, Ryu felt no rush to fill the silence. It wasn't an uncomfortable silence but a sad silence.

"Ryu…"

"Yes?"

"I have to tell you something. I need to let this out, the truth behind my trip..." She nervously said.

"You can tell me anything Kasumi."

"I haven't told this to anyone, only one of my friend from my trip knew about this but no one in the village not even my family. Do you promise that it will only be between us?"

"You have my word, I promise." Ryu quickly assured.

She took a deep breath before she began. "You know the story that you just told me, I have experienced something like it and believe it or not it's far worse."

Ryu leaned back on his chair. "That's not possible…"

"Trust me Ryu, after I tell you this you probably don't even want to be friends with me anymore. There's no way you would want to be friends with someone so stupid..."

"Don't talk like that about yourself Kasumi, I would never do such thing nor think of you that way."

"Tell me, what happened?" He got more curious.

"Do you remember that mission I got in Canada about three years ago?" Kasumi asked as she began to tell her story.

"I do, you wanted me to go with you but I couldn't…"

"Yep, well... I also met someone during that mission." She shook her head lightly, feeling little embarrassed to continue.

This guy, he had tattoos and muscles, he drove this mean Black Harley. The few people around me at the time had warned me that he was trouble but as soon as I hear the rumble of that big Harley pulling next to me, my heart just..."

Ryu got the picture. He leaned back on his chair with his arms crossed raising an eyebrow, "A real bad boy huh."

"I was pitiful Ryu..."

Kasumi continued, "His name was Rig Donovan. When I got back home to Japan after the mission was accomplished, all I could think about was him. We kept in touch, in fact he even came to Tokyo to visit me. Of course I didn't tell him who I really was, and I fell and I mean fell really hard for him. But being a shinobi was in the way of me and him being together. So I chose him…I told my family that I needed a small break to travel and explore the world."

"So you were in Canada this whole time?" He looked strangely at her.

Kasumi let out a heavy sigh and nodded. "Yeah, I eventually moved in with him. I hardly kept in touch with everyone back home, as you had noticed and things went south very quickly. We started to argue pretty much every day, he would break things and then leave for days sometimes weeks. I told myself every time he left that I deserved better and that I should leave for good but he would be back begging, and guess what… I believed he could change so I stayed and took him back.

She paused briefly before continued. "Then the arguing got worse, he became more violence towards me…"

"But you're a damn skilled shinobi, why didn't you kick his ass?" Ryu was getting slightly angry with what he just heard.

"I know I could easily take him down but I was so in love with him, and by that point, emotionally I was a wreck. I started to believe that I deserved to be hit…" Her eyes were getting teary.

"Why didn't you contacted me if it was that bad?"

"I was too ashamed of myself and I was so afraid of what you or Hayate would do to him and to me if you two would have found out."

"Damn it Kasumi…" Ryu have heard enough, he hope that someday he might run into Rig Donovan, for the pleasure of rearranging his face for him because nobody hurt his Kasumi and not suffer the consequences.

"Tell me, tell me that you gave him a good beating or throw him in jail before you left?"

"Well…when I got home from work one day, I found him with a very naked blonde and I snapped. I punched him in the face and he snapped back. He was mad because I interrupted his naughty afternoon with the blondie. Long story short, knife were involved and I realised then that I was defending for my life. That was how I got this scar, something in me woke me up. He was surprised when I fought back and he didn't know how good I was with knives. I was so angry that I wanted kill him at the spot, but I couldn't…he was not worth it anymore. So here I am…"

He reached across the table. She put her hand in his. He gave her slender fingers a squeeze, "Good you came home." He said in a low voice.

It wasn't easy for her to talk about her pitiful life for the past two years.

"Like you said, never again and I've learned my lesson. It's not worth losing my dignity, family and friends to go nuts over some wild man, from now on I just want a life that's…"

He said the word for her, "Normal."

She met his eyes. "That's exactly it, Normal."

Time passed and it was getting late. "Alright let's get out of here, it's almost midnight." Ryu suggested. Kasumi agreed and Ryu put the money on the table including a giant size tip to cover all the hours they had been sitting there. He then helped Kasumi into her jacket and they went out into a chilly night to head home.


	2. Chapter 2

That same night Kasumi laid in her bed staring at the ceiling getting lost in her thoughts. She was finally happy again and things seemed to be moving in the right direction for her. She then yawn her eyes out while tossing and turning in her bed to find the right position. It didn't take long for her to drift off to sleep. Ever since she got home, she had been sleeping like a child. She felt safe and truly at home, as she hadn't since that awful day that Rig Donovan broke her heart and beat her black and blue.

The next night it was the same. Ryu closed up, Kasumi waited for him, and they headed to the same restaurant where they talked and talked.

By Friday night, it was getting to be a routine. The subject of love and marriage came up again. Kasumi looked at Ryu, "You know when we talked about how we both wanted things normal?"

"Yes..."

"I don't believe that you need to be in love to be able to have a normal relationship. I don't mean that you can't love the one you marry, love is important but you know, not necessarily the wild passionate consuming love, the whole falling in love thing it's just not for me…I'm not making sense am I?"

Ryu chuckled before he responded, "I get exactly what you're trying to say. When you're crazy in love, you are out of balance, It's the nature's way of making sure the species continues. It is a chemical reaction and I don't think it's normal in the least. If I never fall in love again I will be okay with that."

"I agree, I would choose sanity over crazy wild love any days." Kasumi added.

"I have to tell you, this is the high point of the day for me, you and me, in this restaurant."

Kasumi agreed once again, "I know what you mean and I feel like I can tell you anything. No subject is off limits you know?"

"We can even be quiet together." Ryu added.

She nodded and they were quiet. Neither of them said anything for five full minutes. It was fine, better than fine, it was comfortable and it was good. Kasumi looked across at Ryu, he looked back at her…and they knew what each other were thinking. They were thinking exactly the same thing. He wanted a wife like her and she wanted a husband like him. They felt safe with each other, they could count on each other. Over the past weeks they had become friends again, they had become more than friends, they were best friends. What they felt for each other wasn't in the least wild or crazy passionate. It was warm and friendly, trusting and good.

"What do you say? We could go get a marriage license and find a chapel…" Ryu softly asked.

Kasumi didn't think twice. "I say yes."

"You're clear on this? You know what I'm asking you?" He asked again just to be certain.

"Mhm, couldn't be more clearly."

"I'm talking about right now, tonight…" He carefully making sure once again.

"Yes, let's do it tonight." She replied calmly and utterly sure.

Without hesitating, they got up from their chairs, paid for the dinner and hand in hand, they headed out of the door.

Tokyo courthouse was open until midnight, Ryu and Kasumi were there right before nine. All they needed to do was show their identifications, answered a few basic questions and paid three hundred and fifty Yen fee. They received two copies of their marriage license, one for them to keep and one for whoever married them to turn back into the courthouse within ten days of the ceremony. Right down the street of the courthouse there was a wedding chapel.

 _This is really happening…Ryu and I will be married._

Kasumi was still certain of her decision, the only thing that was slightly holding her back was the thought of her family. She was the princess of the Mugen Tenshin ninja village, if she was ever going to get married she was supposed to have a big ceremony with big traditional preparation and with the whole villagers included. Everyone expected it of her. She was nervous of what her family would think of this. Especially her big brother Hayate, who had always been overprotective with any decisions she made. He might not be okay with this, but deep down she had never cared about a big wedding, she didn't want all the attention and the fuss. This was her wedding and not her brother's nor anyone else. This was what she wanted, what she and Ryu wanted. They wanted a happy normal life together and they were going to have one starting tonight.

Ryu gave Kasumi's fingers a last comforting squeezed, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, why?"

"You looked a little doubtful, are you sure that you still want this?" He asked softly.

"I'm sure, let's do this." She smiled to him.

They went inside the chapel holding hands. There was a woman who greeted them at the door.

"I'm Hanako and welcome to Sweetheart wedding chapel."

"I'm here to guide you through the process and if you have any questions, I will be happy to answer and help you with whatever you needed to make this blessed occasion one you will remember always."

Ryu and Kasumi looked at each other. They were reading each other's mind. "We're good and we're ready." Ryu said while Kasumi nodded agreeing.

"Do you have your rings with you?" Hanako asked.

"Yes." They replied in unison. They had purchased the rings before they went to the courthouse.

"Very well then, if you could please follow me this way." She smiled and lead them inside the chapel.

There was a little boutique at the reception area, the boutique had a refrigerated case full of bouquet. "The bride would like a bouquet perhaps?" Hanako suggested.

Kasumi didn't think that it was necessary but it wouldn't hurt she thought. After a couple of minutes, she found the one she liked.

"That one." She pointed.

Hanako went ahead and took it out for her, "Yellow roses and white lilies, perfect choise." She said as she handed the bouquet to Kasumi.

Soon after, they joined Hanako into a very white empty room. By the end of the room, a priest was waiting for them.

"If the groom could stand here, and the bride there. We shall be ready to start." The priest shortly explained.

Ryu and Kasumi stared deeply into each other's eyes with a warm smile on their faces. Neither of them were nervous, they were actually calm and happy and they had never been sure about anything in their lives.

Fifteen minutes later, they were married. They were now husband and wife. Looking pleased and excited as they headed out of the chapel. The next few hours, they spent walking around the city hand in hand enjoying the beautiful night. By the end of the night, Ryu was curious about something. He stopped and faced Kasumi.

"Where do you want to spend our wedding night?" He asked.

 _Wedding night, right…_

Kasumi's eyes widen and her mind froze at the thought of her and Ryu having sex. Ryu was still waiting for her to answer.

"Kasumi?"

"Um, well…"

Noticing how unsure she was, he suggested for them. "How about we get a suite at the Kaminarimon? We can have champagne and it's not far away from here."

She gave him a nervous look...

"Why do I get the feeling that you're not ready to spend the night with me?"

"I'm sure that making love with you, is going to be…very nice." She didn't know what to say and she just made herself sound so silly she thought. Ryu laughed and Kasumi looked at him a little puzzled.

"What's so funny?"

"You're scared Kasumi."

"I'm not, we are married so I will just have to get over the terror of seeing you naked I guess..."

 _Oh god, why did I just say it like that…_

Ryu stared at her a little strangely.

"Sorry bad choice of words." Kasumi quickly explained noticing his stare.

He placed himself closer putting his hand on her shoulder. "Kasumi it's okay, there's no rush. We don't have to do anything tonight if you're not ready. We're doing this our way remember?"

His comforting and understanding tone brought a gentle smile to her lips. "It's not that I don't want to Ryu, it's just that I have never thought of you, us…I mean… I don't really know why I am making a big deal about this."

"Because it is a big deal, we're going home." Ryu said.

"No let's find a suite, it's our wedding night. I'm ready if you are." She grabbed him by the arm. It was warm and hard.

 _It was muscular, that arm…like the rest of him. How bad can it really be to make love with Ryu Hayabusa?_

Now she actually thought about it, seeing Ryu naked wouldn't be terrible at all.

Ryu lowered his gaze, "Interesting question…"

"What is?" Kasumi wondered.

"Whether I'm ready or not..." Ryu softly laughed. She looked down a little shy as she laughed with him.

"So you really have never thought of me naked?" He teased.

"C'mon Ryu, have you ever thought of me naked?"

"Of course I have, I'm a guy."

His response made her chuckled. "Seriously, I can get ready..." She once again try to convince him.

"We're going home, you're not ready."

"How do you know if I'm ready or not?" She didn't give up.

"Kasumi..." He gave her a look that she was not fooling him.

She looked at the ring on her finger, and then looked back at him. "Okay you're right, there's no rush." She smiled and he smiled back. He kissed her hand and they headed home. On the way home, they had discussed about moving in together and Kasumi agreed that she would move in with Ryu right away. That mean that this would be her last night in her home village. Tomorrow morning Ryu would come by, as they had agreed to tell their whole family of their marriage together. It will be a long day awaited for the both of them. Kasumi was a little nervous, as she didn't know how her family would react.

"I will see you tomorrow." He placed a soft kiss on her forehead.

Kasumi nodded, "Good night Ryu." She went inside the gate to her village and Ryu went back to his own village.

Kasumi stripped off her clothes and put on a baby blue silk nightgown to get ready for bed. She let a heavy breath out while staring at the ring on her finger one more time. She thought about how she enjoyed sex with Rig Donovan, which was the only good thing that came out of their messed up relationship, and she was starting to think that having sex with Ryu would actually be fun. He might even be a better lover than Rig, shrugging at her thoughts.

 _Mrs. Hayabusa..._ Her lips held a faint smile at the exciting thought. She and Ryu were being reasonable. They were going to have a happy life together. Kasumi then slumped her body on the bed and the seconds her head hit the pillow, her body immediately dragged into a world of dreams.


	3. Chapter 3

The next morning Kasumi woke to the first ray of light through the window. She yawned and stretched her arms as far back as she could. She looked at the ring on her finger just to remind herself that it wasn't a dream. Funny how she wasn't nervous or afraid about her decision to marry Ryu, she was more excited than anything. Kasumi pushed herself up and out of bed to get her day started since she has a lot to do today. But first, she opened the window and peeked outside.

 _Such a beautiful morning…_

The sun had just come up. She looked at the direction of the shining golden lights over the mountains. Then her gaze tracked back to the backyard, looking around with a wide smile on her face. The entire place was glowing under its morning warmth and the dew was still plainly visible on all the blades and grass nearby. Letting out a comfortable sigh, Kasumi turned away from the window, then made her bed nicely before going to the bathroom to brush her teeth and to take a shower.

Once all the morning routines done, she tied her auburn hair up in ponytail with a blue ribbon and took a last look in the mirror.

 _Alright let's do this._

In the kitchen, everyone was already up getting the breakfast ready. "Good morning Kasumi." Her mother greeted while focusing her eyes on the frying pan because she was making omelets.

"Good morning." Kasumi responded.

She went over to help Ayane set the table, and soon they all took their seats. Ayame served the omelets while Shiden got the basket of rolls and a bowl with different kind of fruits and placed them in the middle of the table. Kasumi then helped everyone pour the orange juice. Suddenly she noticed that someone was missing.

"Where is Hayate?"

"He left to Germany last night for a mission." Shiden replied.

"He's hardly around the village during the weekends." Ayame added.

Ayane leaned closer to Kasumi and whispered into her ear, "Hitomi mission…"

Kasumi raised her brow, as she knew who Hitomi was, and then the girls slightly giggled. Hayate have had a hot for Hitomi ever since the Dead or Alive tournament a few years back. It was obvious but she didn't realise that they were secretly dating. She assumed that they were dating, as why else would Hayate go to Germany. How suspicious and amusing thought Kasumi. Though she must admit that she was relief, a little glad that Hayate wasn't going to be there when she and Ryu would tell the family of their news. She was afraid that Hayate might make a scene as he usually would if he strongly disagree with something.

"Kasumi, what have you been up to? I haven't seen you around much these last couple of weeks and you still haven't told us anything about your trips." Shiden wondered starting a conversation.

"Um, well... I'm glad that you asked father because there is something quite important that I have to tell you all today," She replied slightly nervous while trying to hide her left hand so her family wouldn't be able to see her ring just yet.

"What is it about honey?" Ayame curiously asked, but before Kasumi could say anything more, someone was knocking on the front door. They all looked at each other with puzzled expressions across their faces.

"Who could it be this early?" Wondered Shiden.

"I got it." Kasumi immediately got up from her chair to open the front door.

"Good morning Master Joe and Ryu." Kasumi greeted Ryu and his father Joe Hayabusa. On their way to the kitchen, Ryu whispered to Kasumi. "Is everybody here?"

"Yeah, except Hayate." She whispered back.

"Joe? Ryu? What are you two doing here this early? I don't remember making any appointment to meet you both today..." Shiden looked at the two with wondering eyes.

"Ryu said that he has something important that he wanted to tell all of us. He wouldn't tell me what it was until we got here." Joe shrugged.

"Since you're already here, why don't you join us for breakfast?" Ayame then suggested and got up to get two extra plates and glasses for the guests. Ryu and his father took their seats.

Kasumi and Ryu locked eyes briefly. They were a little worried of what their family would say since they had gotten married in a non-traditional way. Before they began, Kasumi went around the table to serve everyone tea.

"So Ryu what was the important news that you wanted to tell us?" Shiden asked and all eyes were on Ryu. He was suddenly feeling the pressure.

"Kasumi was about to tell us something too." Ayane added.

Kasumi and Ryu looked at each other again and she sat down next to him. They held hands under the table as they prepared themselves.

"The important news that we wanted to tell all of you is…" Kasumi began.

"We?" Shiden interrupted.

"Yes, Ryu and I."

Everyone was frowning staring at the two of them a little strangely. Ryu noticed that Kasumi hesitated, assuming she was nervous and so he decided to continue for her, just get it over with before the nerve got the best of the both of them.

"Kasumi and I got married last night."

Shiden choked on his food and almost spilled his tea on the table. He was coughing badly... Ayame tried to help him calm down.

Ayane smirked amusingly, as she knew where this was going while Joe calmly sipped on his tea not responded much to the news.

"Father are you okay?" Kasumi shouted from across the table.

"I'm fine…" Shiden took a few sips of his orange juice to clear his throat, and then he started laughing. "By the way, good one." He thought that they were pranking him.

Ryu and Kasumi looked at him then at each other anxiously. Silence surrounded the kitchen walls as nobody knew what to say next. The rings on their fingers caught Shiden's eyes making him abruptly got up from his chair.

"Married? Are you telling me that you're married?!"

"Calm down, let's talk about this." Ayame joined in.

"Ayame, did you hear what they had just told us? Joe why are you so calm about this?"

"Don't tell me that you're that surprised." Joe replied.

"Master Shiden, I know that this might seem too sudden but Kasumi and I..."

"I can't listen to this." Shiden interrupted.

"Father this is not Ryu's fault, we wanted this together…please just be happy for us."

"Ayane can you excuse us," Shiden said sending Ayane away so they could discuss this further.

Ayane did as she was told and got up to leave. When she walked by Ryu and Kasumi she wrapped her arms around their necks and whispered, "Congratulations." She then left the kitchen amused, as she found it funny when her siblings got in trouble because it made her look like the golden child.

"You just got back from a two year trip and weeks later you're married to Ryu. What is really going on with you?"

"Nothing is going on with me, it was something that we both wanted and I'm also moving in with Ryu today that is why we had to tell you this early."

"Have you lost your mind...?" Shiden was beginning to get a little furious with the situation.

"And why the rush? Wouldn't you two want a ceremony with your family included to celebrate your love? Or maybe think things through before you decided to get married in such a haste. It's a big life decision." Ayame joined in trying to make sense of her daughter's decision.

"I'm aware of what you're trying to say mother and we…"

"You're not pregnant are you?" Shiden shouted interrupting Kasumi.

"What? Why would you think…no I'm not pregnant. Ryu and I love each other, we want to start a life together, it's that simple. What more reasons do we need? And it's not like I just met him."

"We all knew that they will end up together eventually and they're clearly in love, so they did what felt right for themselves, plus they're mature enough to make the decision on their own." Joe added.

Shiden smirked, "That's rich coming from you."

Ryu and Kasumi immediately looked at each other when the word "in love" was mentioned since they weren't in love, but the others didn't have to know that.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Joe raised his voice, as he felt slightly provoked.

"You heard me, what do you know about love and marriage. My daughter will not go through the same thing that your wife went through, they're making a mistake!"

"What the hell are you trying to accuse my son of?" Joe shouted from across the table.

Kasumi have had enough. "This is why I don't talk to you father because you never listen!" She got up and ran out of the kitchen. Everyone was suddenly quiet.

Ryu had been staring at his plate not saying a word. He hates it when people scream at each other and he automatically shuts down when that happens around him. "I'll go check on her…" Ryu calmly said as he got up to leave to find Kasumi. Ayame sighed and got up from her chair to do the dishes as she have had enough of the arguing between the men herself. After several minutes of silence, Shiden decided to apologize to Joe for what he said.

"Look, I was out of line…I shouldn't have said what I said."

"I think it's fair to say that we both were acting rather immature." Joe responded.

"I just want my son to be happy and Kasumi is the perfect girl for him."

"You're right. They had always been good to each other and Ryu is a fine young man and I'm sure that he would not mistreated Kasumi in any way, if anything I think he will take good care of her. I shouldn't have accused him, I feel terrible." Shiden was feeling guilty for losing his cool.

"And you're also right about one thing, Ryu is nothing like me. He'd make a better husband and father than I ever was." Joe sighed.

Ayame smiled from across the room. She was glad that they could put aside their own agendas and thought what was best for Kasumi and Ryu.

Ryu found Kasumi on a bench in the village main garden under Sakura tree blossom. She looked at him briefly then looked back down. "I'm sorry for running off like that, they just don't get it you know…" She softly said disappointed.

He sat down next to her. "They care about you Kasumi, otherwise they wouldn't have reacted the way they did if they didn't. It is a big decision that we are making."

"You're right…and can you imagine how Hayate would have reacted if he was here?" She slightly rolled her eyes as she said it.

"He would probably hurt me but I would be more worried if they didn't react at all..." Ryu replied making Kasumi chuckled in response.

"Well, I've made my decision and my family would just have to deal with it." She smiled to him and he smiled back.

"I better go pack my clothes and say my goodbyes then."

"We should talk to your parents before we leave, I don't feel good leaving things sour between our families." Ryu said.

"Okay." She agreed and hand in hand they went back to the house.

They had a long talk with their parents and as hard as it was for Shiden to let go, he had to accept the fact that Kasumi was no longer a child. Joe Hayabusa left earlier due to his duties. Ryu waited patiently in the living room for Kasumi to be done with packing her belongings.

She opened a large suitcase and then opened the top dresser drawer to start packing. She didn't own much besides from her clothes and a few personal items so this should be quick, but before she could clear the first drawer she found something that she had forgotten she had put in there when she first came home from her trip. She took the Picture out and stared at it. Sighing deeply, she put the picture beside her and continued on packing.

Ryu leaned himself against the door to her bedroom.

"Do you need help with anything?"

Kasumi almost jumped as Ryu had startled her, she didn't even hear his footsteps but then again he was a super ninja she thought.

"I'm good thanks and I'm almost done." She smiled.

Ryu frowned when he caught the glimpse of the picture on the floor next to Kasumi's feet. He stared hard at the picture, and then moved his gaze to Kasumi. Her back was slightly facing him so she didn't realise Ryu's stare.

"I'll wait outside." He said and left.

Kasumi closed the suitcase ready to leave. She had almost forgotten the picture of her and Rig, she picked it up and looked at it one last time. She smirked ridiculously as she felt nothing looking at it this time. She flipped the frame and opened the backside to take the picture out, she then ripped the picture into pieces throwing the rest into the garbage can.

As she walked through the hallway into the living room, Ayane was leaning against the wall with her arms folded across her chests. Kasumi paused in her tracks.

"Since you're not coming back, can I have your room and your clothes?" Ayane asked.

Kasumi chuckled, "You can have my room but I kind of need my clothes. I'm moving out Ayane, not dead."

"Yeah whatever…" Ayane lowered down her gaze and it made Kasumi wonder why Ayane seemed upset.

"Are you okay sis?"

"Like you care." Ayane coldly responded.

"Of course I care, what's wrong?"

"Everything is changing and nobody cares how any of this is affecting me. I need my brother and sister right now, it's not easy being seventeen you know, but you guys are never around."

"That's not true, we are always here for you."

"No you're not, Hayate is hardly here because he is too busy chasing that German bimbo and you're too busy running away with men." Ayane bluntly said. Kasumi's eyes widened at her sister's brutal honesty but that was typical of Ayane she thought. She hadn't realised that so many things was bothering her either.

"Hayabusa village is not that far away from here, you can come visit whenever you want and I'll come visit home whenever I can as well," Kasumi explained.

"That's what you say now, but the last time you left you hardly kept in touch..."

The waves of guilt was back. Kasumi put her suitcase down, walked closer to her sister and then took both of Ayane's hands in hers.

"I know that I have been too busy with my own thing and sometimes I forget to spend time with the people I love. I'm sorry that I haven't been much of a sister to you, but let's change that. Just because I'm married it doesn't mean that I'll stop being your sister. Let's have couple days a week where we go out and do our thing, shopping, lunch whatever we want to do, you know like we used to." Kasumi smiled as she stared deeply into Ayane's crimson eyes meaning every words. A smile was slowly forming on the corner of Ayane's lips.

"Do you promise? Because I would love that."

"I promise."

"Give me a hug before I leave." Kasumi opened her arms widely and Ayane gladly responded. She followed Kasumi to the door where her parents and Ryu were waiting for her. Kasumi gave her mother a big long hug. Her gaze moved to her father. Shiden looked depressed.

Kasumi made her way to him and smiled. "I'll be fine father, I'm not even that far away from home." Hoping that her words would comfort and ease his mind.

Shiden sighed deeply as he leaned in to hug her, "Just know that this will always be your home and you can come home whenever you want to."

"I know..." she slowly let go of his embrace.

"Take care of her Ryu."

"I will sir." Ryu picked up her suitcase and they started making their way out of the village. Kasumi turned around and waved to her family. There was such sadness in leaving a place of strong love, a place full of fond memories but she will be fine, it was a part of growing up and she was moving on with her life she thought. It wasn't like she wouldn't see them again. To that she let out a comfortable sigh.

The two of them walked in silence through the Hayabusa village main gate. Kasumi had been in his village often when she was younger, and so this village was like her second home. They were also going to announce their marriage to the villagers later that evening once everything were settled. Ryu opened the door to his home and let Kasumi walk in first. She stepped inside and looked around curiously. It had been a while since she had been in Ryu's home. She found herself standing in the middle of the living room and she couldn't help but looked around observing the details. The room was comfortably large, it was the cleanest room imaginable. The room had a high ceiling and the wall was creamed colored with two big windows that gave a view to the garden. The floor was a high polished wood, dark and free either dust or clutter. The furniture were mostly rustic and dark some of the furniture looked antique but in good shape. There was no television but two bookshelves on the right corner of the sofa. On the coffee table, there were two white candles and a couple of magazines. A gentle smile appeared across her lips, because it wasn't just a house that she just observed but a home and the room definitely gave away his bachelorhood. Her gaze tracked back to the window noticing two dead plants on the windowsill.

Ryu noticed. "I haven't been home much due to my duties and working at the antique shop, Momiji was supposed to look after my plants when I'm away but I guess she's been busy as well." He read her mind and felt that he wanted to explain of why the plants had died.

"You don't have to explain, I mean they're just plants not pets." She slightly giggled.

"You could say that," Ryu responded followed with a smile. "This is your home too now Kasumi so feel free to do whatever you want, make yourself at home."

"You should be careful when you say that to a girl like me."

Ryu stared at her with wondering eyes. "You're not going to paint my walls pink are you...?"

She wasn't sure if he was being serious or joking because of his serious stare. She slowly walked to him with her arms folded, leaning herself closer and whispered, "What if I do?"

Ryu didn't blink because now he wasn't sure if she was joking. Kasumi then burst into a soft laughter. "Oh my god Ryu…of course I was joking, for a second there you actually thought that I would." She kept laughing.

"I knew you were joking..."

"Sure you did." Shaking her head amused by how easy Ryu was. She grabbed her suitcase off the floor.

"I think I'm going to go unpack."

"Before you do I have a little surprise for you." Ryu quickly said and they headed to their bedroom. He opened the new empty closet, "All yours." He smiled.

"My own closet? How thoughtful..." She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Thank you Ryu." She smiled happily. Then she turned to look at the bed. She thought of the two of them, naked, in that bed.

 _It could happen tonight…_

The idea still made her nervous. They'd do what came naturally, it would be alright and even if it's not as wild and incredible as it had been with Rig, it would be more than alright because she wasn't in this for the wild thrills. She didn't know what to expect since Rig was the best she ever had, but it wouldn't be fair to compare them she thought.

Ryu noticed her staring at the bed but he didn't want to ask what she was thinking.

She slanted him a glance. "Nice bed," She said. "Really…big."

Ryu softly laughed at her silliness. Kasumi giggled, she then opened her suitcase to start unpacking.

"I have to step outside for a bit to take care of a few things, will you be okay? Do you need anything before I go?"

"I'll be just fine, you go ahead." Kasumi replied.

"See you in a bit." Ryu then left.

Time passed, Kasumi was adjusting rather quickly. Ryu still wasn't home. He had been gone for hours and it was almost evening, she wondered if the plan had suddenly changed and if he had to go out on an emergency mission or something but he would have told her otherwise. She didn't want to show herself to the villagers just yet before they had told them the news and so she decided to relax in the house until Ryu comes back. She gently laid herself on the bed, opened the nightstand drawer, and pulled out a book that she had put in there earlier.

 _I might as well finish reading my book then._

Ryu suddenly slide the bedroom door open, "Sorry it took so long."

 _On the other hand, maybe not…_ She immediately closed her book and put it on the nightstand.

He walked over and sat on the bed next to her. Kasumi pushed herself up into a sitting position.

"Is everything alright?" She asked.

"Yeah. The reason I was gone so long was because I had to make a few arrangements for our big reveal tonight, and the whole village will be at the reception." Ryu explained. Kasumi's eyes widened because she didn't think it was going to be such a big deal, as she had thought that they would made it short and quick.

"Like a party?" She asked anxiously.

"Yes, you are the new princess of the Hayabusa village now and I thought that it should be celebrated."

She looked at him looking even more nervous, as flattered as she was she couldn't help but get nervous. The funny part to her was that, she had forgotten that she was married to the head of the Hayabusa clan and it was indeed a very big deal. Okay, forget nervous...she was slowly panicking now that everything had sunk in. Questions after questions ran through her head, like, what if the villagers dislike her as their new member? their acceptance was important to her.

Ryu noticed, "Are you okay? Is it too much? Because I can cancel if…"

"No no it's fine. I just wished that I was more prepared and I don't think I have anything nice to wear for tonight, you know since I wasn't expecting a party..." Kasumi anxiously replied.

"Wait! Maybe I do."

"Kasumi…" He tried to say something.

She abruptly jumped out of the bed and opened her closet to try to find something she could wear while mumbling to herself.

"This one…no."

"Maybe this…hmm damn it."

"Kasumi?" Ryu tried again but failed.

"Not this one..."

"Definitely not this one."

She threw her clothes on the bed and some accidently on Ryu. She then turned around and looked at him with a worry look.

"Okay, I think you should cancel."

Ryu laughed making Kasumi frowned thinking that there was nothing funny about this. He slowly stood up, took her by the shoulders, and looked her in the eyes.

"I've already arranged for Momiji to help you with that, so relax and just have fun." He smiled.

Kasumi let out a heavy breath of relief, "Don't scare me like that..." Laughing at herself.

Suddenly there was a knock on the door.

"That must be her now, I'll let you get ready and I will see you at the reception." Ryu said.

Kasumi nodded. Ryu leaned closer to give her a quick kiss on the cheek, he turned to leave when Kasumi grabbed him by his arm making him turned back around. She lifted her mouth to him, and slowly she kissed him on the lips. It was a soft kiss, not demanding but more inquisitive and he responded, returning her kiss eagerly. Unexpectedly, his hand drifted to her hip and pulled her even closer to him. This however wasn't their first kiss, they had lightly kissed each other on the night they had sealed their vows but this kiss was more lusting compared. It was unprepared, she hadn't imagined how warm and good his lips would taste. He leaned a little lower, trailing his lips on the gentle area on her neck. His warmth breath on her neck made her feel like she was walking on air, a soft moan escaped her lips, as she hadn't expected Ryu would be this good. He then gently backed her up against the closet and brought his lips back on hers aiming for a deeper kiss. Their breathing quickened by the sensation, his mind was filled with lust and the kiss became a little more intense. She didn't want him to stop…she could do this all day with him.

"Is anyone home?" Momiji knocked even louder a few more times.

They pulled away from the kiss, resting their foreheads against each other listening to each other breathe.

"I guess we better open that door..." Kasumi whispered while looking at his delicious lips.

"Yeah…" He whispered back.

They went and opened the door for Momiji. "Finally, what took you so long Master Ryu."

"Sorry about that." Ryu replied.

"Kasumi! Is that really you?" Momiji ran in and gave Kasumi a big hug. Missing her longtime friend. Kasumi responded the hug happily. Momiji was another good friend and a student of Ryu from the village. Kasumi would often visited Ryu and made a close bond with Momiji as well during her teen years.

"I'll leave you ladies be then." Ryu said as he leave, but then paused in his tracks and pulled Kasumi aside.

"Oh, and one more thing…" He whispered.

"What is it?"

"Your parents and Ayane would be at the reception as well."

Kasumi's eyes widened. "Great…" she wasn't too excited at the idea of having her father there, because she didn't think that he has had enough time to adjust the thought of her being married yet, though she was glad that Ayane and her mother would be there.

Ryu placed a kiss on her cheek and then slowly backing away from Kasumi's not so happy stare to make his way out as quickly as possible.

"Any more surprises Ryu?" She softly growled at him. He smiled as closed the door behind him.

Kasumi sighed shaking her head, she then turned to Momiji, "That is one large suitcase you got there..."

"Are you ready to try all these clothes?"

"You bet! I'm so excited."

An hour later, Kasumi and Momiji made their way towards the reception area. Kasumi could hear noises from the distance. Now she was getting even more nervous since the whole villagers were going to be there and she was afraid of what they would think of her as their new member. _Too late to back down now..._ thought Kasumi. She took a deep breath to calm the nerves down.

Ryu was outside by the entrance talking to Sanji, a ten-year-old boy from the village who looked up to Ryu as a big brother figure. "Look, it's Kasumi and Momiji." Sanji pointed at the women making Ryu turned to look. His eyes slightly grew wider at the sight of Kasumi approaching him. He had never seen her looked this beautiful... he had always thought that she was beautiful but there was a glow about her that day that made him look at her slightly different than he did before. She had a kind of understated beauty, perhaps it was because she was so disarmingly unaware of her prettiness.

"Kasumi, you look beautiful..." He said looking at her appearance.

She had chosen a white silk kimono to wear for the night with red flowery prints. She hadn't done much with her hair but had it up in a ponytail like usual with a yellow ribbon as a tie and she kept her make up as natural as possible because she didn't want to overdo it. She wanted to keep her look simple but still look feminine and elegant at the same time.

"Thank you, and you look good too." Kasumi shyly replied. He was wearing his black leader outfit.

"Come on Sanji let's go find our seats." Said Momiji and Sanji followed her inside the large building.

"Thanks for all the help Momiji." Kasumi said and Momiji smiled as the response. Everyone was inside except Ryu and Kasumi.

"Are you ready?" Ryu asked.

"Yeah, I'm a little nervous but I'm ready."

"You'll be fine, I'll be right by your side don't worry." Ryu assured.

They took each others hands and walked inside together. There was the scraping sound of chairs, the villagers rose up when the pair entered the room. As the couple was passing by everyone, there were cheers and whispering. The happy couple made their way to the head table smiling and holding hands. Kasumi was amazed at how festive the room looked and how the villagers had managed to pull everything off in such short amount of times she wondered. There was also a lot of food that laid in the long oak table. It made her mouth water just by looking at them. There was roasted chicken, mounds of fragrant wild rice, countless cheeses that went with baskets of crackers and bread rolls, grilled trout with lemon, different kind of soups, waterfalls of wine, and all sort of salads and side dishes.

The couple lowered down in their seats and everyone else soon followed. Kasumi leaned closer to Ryu, "This place looks amazing and how did you manage to get this much done in such short amount of time?" She was pleasantly surprised.

"Actually I made a few arrangements last night, so everyone got together and prepared everything for your arrival."

"This is very sweet Ryu." She smiled gratefully and they held hands under the table. She could see her parents and Ayane on the table nearby, she waved to them.

Time passed, Ryu and his father had made a nice toast to welcome Kasumi into their clan, and everyone was happy for their Master and his new bride. Most of them already knew who Kasumi was and so they weren't surprised that he had picked her. The room filled with joyous laughter evening long.

While everyone was digging in and enjoying themselves, the sound of the teaspoon tapping on the side of a glass signaled everyone to silence. Shiden got up and wanted to say a few words to the couple. All eyes were on Shiden, waiting for him to make his speech.

"First of all, I want to welcome Ryu into our family. I also want to take this opportunity to say how proud I am of the beautiful woman that my dearest daughter Kasumi had become. Being in love is such a wonderful thing and today we are lucky to witness their love."

While Shiden was giving his speech, Ryu and Kasumi gave each other a look. Not so much a happy look, a rather awkward one. Everything was new to the both of them. Kasumi was a little overwhelm by the attention, and as thankful as she was she couldn't help but feeling sad hearing her father's speech, praising her as his daughter. She hadn't often thought highly of herself and she was not proud of the way she had been living her life, and yet here she was surrounded with the people she love the most and how they did everything to make her happy in just one day. She didn't know what she did to deserve this much happiness and kindness.

Ryu was feeling a little overwhelm himself. Shiden's speech about love made him wonder. He wasn't in love and neither was Kasumi, but he figured that was something that nobody else needed to know.

"And to end this speech I just have to say one last thing. If you ever break my daughter's heart Ryu, I swear on everything i have that I will hunt you down like a dog." Shiden gave him a serious stare. Ryu's eyes widened and so did everybody else. Silence surrounded the tables. Kasumi gave her father a stern look, a kind of look when a child was embarrass of their parent.

Shiden looked around noticing everybody's glare, "Of course I was just joking…erhm..." He cleared his throat and raised his glass up high.

"Let's drink to love…"

The two words echoed down the table and Kasumi and Ryu raised their glasses, "To love…"

"To love…"

"To love…"

"To love…"

Even the little kids at the low table in the corner raised their glasses of grape juice and echoed the toast.

Ryu leaned in for a kiss and she couldn't resist, she lifted her lips naturally and they kissed in front of everybody. Oh how she liked the scent of him. He smelled of fresh air and clean skin, with just a hint of some nice, mellow aftershave and something else too. Something indefinable, but definitely male. They were being affectionate publicly and she hadn't expected it. They were kissing romantically like a couple of newlyweds she thought and which, she come to think of it, they were.

The celebration went on into the night. Everyone was dancing, drinking and having a good time. Kasumi, Ayane and Momiji were dancing and being silly while Ryu was talking to his father. Ryu found himself staring at Kasumi from the distance, then he noticed his father staring at him without blinking.

"What?"

"Nice to see, that's all. You and Kasumi. Husband and wife…don't make the same mistake I did, take good care of her." Joe advised.

"I plan to." Ryu shortly replied. Joe then excused himself to mingle with the other guests. Ryu turned his attention back to Kasumi. Now and then, they would share a glance and she would give him that special smile…

He was looking forward to getting her alone. He thought about their kiss in the bedroom, it wasn't a passionate kiss but lustful. If he was going to spend the rest of his life with Kasumi then lust was important, and tonight would be their first real night together as husband and wife. He wasn't going to rush her but, as he'd reminded her last night on the way home that he was a guy, she was a pretty woman and his best friend who just happened to be his wife.

Kasumi noticed that Ryu was finally alone. The villagers had been approaching him and congratulated the both of them all night long, as nice as it was she kind of missed having Ryu to herself a little. She made her way over to him and he smiled at her.

"Having fun?" He asked.

"Mhm, this party wasn't a bad idea after all Ryu. It was the perfect way for me to connect with everyone since I am going to live here. Thank you for this night, I had so much fun."

He caressed her cheek. "From today on I would do anything to make you happy Kasumi, it's a promise." His eyes had never looked so soft or so full of promise. She kissed him, a quick, firm peck on his warm smooth shaven cheek.

"You can do better than that." He spoke low, his deep voice was tender and rough. She gave him his challenged back. "Try me," so he did. He pressed his lips to hers, his mouth was so soft and his arms, holding her, were so strong. He kept the kiss light and playful, just a tempting caress, a gentle press of his mouth to hers. A low moan escaped her as he brushed his lips back and forth on hers. He was teasing and it made her want him even more. He finally pressed his lips firmly and her body shivered. She could have kissed him for hours.

Shiden's cough from behind interrupted them. Ryu and Kasumi immediately broke away from each other.

"We are leaving so we just wanted to say goodbye," Ayame spoke while Shiden looked annoyed at the two. Ayane raised an eyebrow at Kasumi.

"Oh alright, thank you for coming, we really appreciate it." Ryu said gratefully.

"Thank you for inviting us. I wish Hayate would have been here too, he is going to feel so left out when he finds out." Ayame replied.

Kasumi sighed. "We will have to deal with him later I guess, I will follow you to the gate."

Kasumi's family went ahead but before she followed them she quickly whispered to Ryu, "More later…" a lovely feeling of anticipation blooming within him. "Definitely, much more." He whispered back. She smiled seductively to him, and then followed her family towards the gate.

The celebration was finally over after a long night. Most of the people had gone home, and only a few stayed to help cleaning up. Ryu had to stay behind as well to take care of a few things, so he told Kasumi that he would see her back at home as soon as he was done and she was okay with that.

This had been one of the longest day in her life but it was a good day. Kasumi stripped everything off her, took a quick shower, brushed her teeth and then slipped comfortably into her baby blue silk nightgown and threw herself on the comfy bed. She was nervous but also a little excited about spending her first night with Ryu. She grabbed her book from the nightstand and decided to read while she waited for Ryu to come home.

 **An hour later...**

Ryu slide the bedroom door opened. His eyes widen at the sight of Kasumi in her see through nightgown. He could see almost everything and he couldn't suddenly breathe properly. Kasumi's body was so hot he thought... and why it had taken him this long to want her was a big mystery to Ryu because Kasumi was stunning and perfect. He went to the bathroom to change and to take a quick shower. He walked around to his side of the bed silently crawling into bed so he wouldn't wake up Kasumi. As badly as he wanted her right now, he had promised himself not to rush her and Kasumi have had a long day so he just let her rest. He carefully took the book from her hand and drew the cover over her shoulders. He reached out to the night lamp on her side and turned it off, he then placed a quick kiss on her forehead, "Good night Kasumi." He soon drifted to sleep.


	4. Chapter 4

Kasumi slowly and reluctantly opened her eyes. She blinked a few times, closed her eyes and blinked again. Streaks of sunlight that penetrated the window blinded her. _That was the best sleep I ever had, such a comfy bed…_ sighing comfortably while rubbing her fingers along the silken mattress and the pillow was thick and irresistibly soft. _I could stay in this bed all day long…_

"Good morning." Said a voice next to her.

She immediately shifted in bed to face him. He leaned with his elbow smiling at her.

"Good morning..." Kasumi softly responded. She must have been too exhausted last night since she hadn't realised that she had fallen asleep. Though she had to admit that it was a little strange waking up in his bed. Their friendship was no longer innocent, it didn't bother her, and it clearly didn't bother him.

Kasumi just realised that Ryu was half-naked. Her eyes studied his muscular arms and his wide manly chest. They studied each other. Ryu's eyes slowly tracked to her lips and down to her almost exposed breasts. She looked so deliciously hot to him right now. Kasumi bit her lip giving him a seductive look, inviting him to play with her. Her body shifted closer and her fingers roamed his chest teasingly. Ryu got lost in her splendid beauty for a moment, he stared at her like a lovesick fool. She then rubbed her leg on his thigh. His manhood was making a tent in his boxers due to her tease. He ran his hand across her cheek and pulled a few strands of hair behind her ear. He let his hand linger, caressing her cheek as he stare deep into her eyes. His touch felt intensely intimate and yet completely comfortable to her and his green eyes were hypnotizing. He then touched her lips with the tip of his middle finger, her mouth opened a little as her breathing became heavier. He slowly traced a circle around her lips, across her upper lips and back across her lower lip. He dropped his fingers down away from her mouth and his hand glided down to her thigh. He pulled her even closer cupping her beautiful butt cheeks. Kasumi's heart skipped a few beats at the feel of his harden manhood touches hers.

Ryu gently rolled himself over her and began kissing her lips. Kasumi eagerly responded while her hands continued on roaming his tight workout body, _he is gorgeous…_.His rock hard muscles under her fingers, his chest, his abs, his thigh, all of him… _and he's mine,_ she thought to herself with a smug smile.

The alarm clock on the nightstand caught his eyes for a quick second, _Crap…_ He abruptly stop kissing her, buried his face on her neck and sighed in annoyance.

Kasumi frowned, "Ryu...?" as she didn't want him to stop.

"You're going to hate me…" He whispered.

"What are you talking about?"

He sighed once more and looked her in the eyes. "I have to be out of the country today, I had almost forgotten, I'm sorry I didn't tell you."

"You have to go like, right now?" She asked with a frown and Ryu simply nodded.

"No no, you can't leave me hanging like this…I'm sure you have five minutes?"

"This kills me too but I don't want our first time to be a quick one, you know…"

Kasumi was a little annoyed but she understood. "How long will you be gone anyway?"

"A couple of days."

She looked away from him and Ryu felt bad. Gently, he made her look back at him. "I will make it up real good to you when I'm back, I promise." He smiled.

Kasumi sighed. "Alright, be careful and try to make it home safely." She caressed his handsome face. Ryu nodded and placed a soft kiss on her lips, then he got out of bed to get ready.

 **~New York~**

"What does the CIA need my help for?" Ryu asked the man sitting in front of him while looking through some files with information about the case.

"You were a big help to us the last time we worked together, but unfortunately, we ran into major problems again." Special Agent Jack Moon walked around the table and leaned himself on his desk near Ryu.

"Important files have gone missing, and you know what will happen if it falls into the wrong hands…"

Ryu frowned curiously, "Why am I here again?"

"We have a suspect, and we had tried everything to get a confession. The only option left is torture but someone suggested you before we go that far." Jack explained. "With your specialty Mr. Hayabusa, we might figure out who were behind it. She's our only lead and we strongly believe that she is involved somehow and right now she is facing a rap for treason. However, without any evidence and a confession there's not much we can do about it."

Will Mercier, Jack's supervisor and the agent in charge of the investigation barged into the room making both men immediately turned their attention towards him.

"Mr. Hayabusa, nice to see you again." He shook Ryu's hand. "How are we doing? Is he ready?" Will then turned his attention to Jack.

"I'm still briefing Mr. Hayabusa about the case."

"So let me get this straight, you want me to interrogate the suspect?" Ryu asked and both men nodded at the same time.

"Why not give her a polygraph test, wouldn't that be quicker?"

"You're a hell lot faster than a polygraph." Will quickly replied.

"This woman have been trained to beat a lie detector, which was why we couldn't take the risk..." Jack added.

Will nodded. "But she won't be prepared for your powers of detection. I wished you'd arrived sooner. Internet sources indicate those plans for the radar shield are already on the block and we need to find out who's doing the marketing. God help us if they decide to download the damned thing to a buyer."

Ryu was already regretting taking on this mission, as he'd rather be with Kasumi right now instead of fixing the CIA's problems. However, he understood the urgency and he would do his bit to help.

"Alright, take me to the suspect so I can determine if she was involved in the theft or being straight with you." Ryu replied with determination.

The men responded right away and Ryu followed them to the office at CIA headquarters, down the corridor to the interrogation room.

"We will observe from here."

Ryu then went into the interrogation room that contained the viewing side of a one-way mirror. When he entered the room, another agent Irene Lew, stood propped against the table speaking to the suspect.

"Okay let's try this again, from the top please."

Ryu's quiet entrance raised no reaction in either woman. Irene kept her eyes on the woman while Ryu observed silently before he interfere in any way. He paid closely attention to the suspect's body language to get a better clue. He hated it when a woman got herself involved in something like this. It reminded him of his training that included looking after the "weaker sex" and Ryu knew from experience that women could be every bit as capable, but also as greedy, sadistic and treasonous as men. He kept staring at the woman and then briefly moved his gaze to Irene. She looked good, he thought. The last time he saw her she was a mess. Irene noticed his stare and Ryu quickly turned his gaze back at the suspect and continued his observation. They had to stay professional and not let anything else interfere the interrogation.

He didn't need telepathy to sense her exhaustion and frustration. The metal folding chair looked uncomfortable. She had her arms folded beneath her breasts and her hands clutching her elbows tightly her knuckles turned white. Several empty soft drinks cans sat on the table. She gave a huge sigh as she rocked back and forth on her chair.

"I have to use the bathroom…"

"Not until you tell us who was behind this!" Irene raised her voice.

"I swear I've told you everything I saw, all I know, all I suspect!" The woman screamed back at her. Irene slammed her fist on the table but Ryu interrupted her.

"Irene…leave the room." He firmly and calmly told her.

"What? I'm getting close and you're…"

"Do as he says Agent." Will Mercier interrupted her from the speaker.

"Fine." Irene gave Ryu an annoyed glare and left the room slightly slamming the door behind her. She joined Will and Jack and observed from behind the one-way mirror.

The interrogation had been going for hours and Ryu figured that by now her defenses should be way down. He didn't see point of torture, after his observation he was certain he could figure this woman out in less than ten minutes.

"Miss Holly is it?" He coolly began. The woman simply nodded but looked away slightly irritated. She was tired of having to repeat the entire incident to yet another stranger.

"Anything yet?" Jack asked over the speaker.

Ryu glanced at the mirror, "I'm in the room for thirty seconds and you want a conclusion? I haven't even seen her eyes yet…"

"Right, sorry about that, and please take your time." Jack replied.

Will closed his eyes shaking his head at his partner while Irene tried to hold in a giggle.

He began the questions. "What happened on the night of June 15 in the lab?"

"I was concealed in the air-conditioning vent and I saw Agent Vatz do it."

Jack frowned and looked at Irene and Will, "Agent Ryan Vatz? A traitor? This can't be…she must be lying as it is not possible that Vatz is involved in this." They all looked puzzled and continued the observation.

"Recap for me, I'm new." Ryu ordered.

"I heard voices and I could see through the vent. A minute after two men entered the lab, Agent Ryan Vatz and I don't know who the other guy is. Agent Vatz plugged one of those little attaché gizmos into a USB port, copied some information, put the thing in his pocket and walked out."

Ryu remained silent for ten seconds, attempting to connect with what she was thinking. She looked away a lot and couldn't keep eyes contact with him. He had heard many said that his green eyes were intimidating and that could be it. He was still unsure of the woman, so he threw out more questions.

"But you did nothing to prevent the theft of technology that could be critical to the nation's safety? Isn't that your job Agent Holly? Enforcing national security, that's what you were there to asses, right?

She calmly placed her hands on the table as if she meant to blow at Ryu, but she didn't. Instead, she spoke calmly and in a professional manner. "They were armed and I remained concealed because I was unarmed." Ryu picked up sincerity, but he got that from her tone of voice and expression. Nothing from her mind. There were none of the telling mannerism of a liar present so far.

"Why unarmed?" he asked. "You were issued a weapon."

She didn't respond and looked down on the table. Ryu frowned, he stood suddenly and leaned himself close to her, a slight attempt to intimidate. "What did you do then, inform your superior of what had just happened?"

She ran a hand through her hair and shook her head. "No I did not inform anyone at that time, I tried to get out of there as quickly and soundlessly as possible and followed Vatz."

"In your car? You do have communication equipment in your vehicle, do you not?"

"Yes, but I didn't call it in on the duty agent then. What could have I said that would be believed? I needed to find out more. Why Agent Vatz copied what he did and where he was going with it. I saw him deliver it and accept a briefcase."

Ryu frowned curiously, "Where did this take place?"

"In the parking lot of an apartment complex nearby here..."

"Could you identify the man that was with Agent Vatz?"

"He was under six feet tall, light skin, dark hair, mustache, square jaw. Approximately 180 pounds, late thirties or early forties."

"Would you recognize the man if you see him again?"

"I would definitely recognize him again..." She nodded.

"But you didn't try to stop him or follow him?"

She rolled her eyes, "Like I've told you a dozen times, they were armed and I was unarmed."

Ryu didn't asked anymore question but stared at her intensely and that irritated the woman. She furiously slammed her fist on the table, "Do something about it, will you! Find out what Vatz copied and recover it! can't you people understand this is crucial?"

Ryu glanced at the mirror briefly then he looked back at the woman and smiled. "Thank you, you've been very helpful and I'm sure that they will be using all the resources they've got, so please don't worry."

Her eyes widened at his sudden switch to civility.

"Excuse me for a minute." Ryu said and left the room to join the others.

The minute the door closed, Jack asked, "Well?"

"I believe she's telling the truth, I have to admit, she was not easy to read. However, all of her physical and verbal responses indicate she's innocent and being perfectly honest. I'd bet on it."

Will Mercier held his silence for a minute, and then he looked at Irene and Jack. "Okay, I'm releasing her, but we need her close since she is the only one who can identify the man. She would have to tag along on this undercover mission. We need to get to work and catch this man before we lose the opportunity to get the files back."

"What about Vatz?" Irene asked.

"As for Vatz we can't react just yet, the missing files are the main focus." Jack and Irene nodded. Will turned his attention to Ryu.

"You're good at this and with your specialty in this area, spying, going undercover would probably go smoother and faster, and this is the perfect job for someone with your skillset. What do you say Mr. Hayabusa, interested?"

"Well I..."

"Come on Ryu, we coud play the newlyweds just like the last time." Irene raised an eyebrow.

Ryu looked at Irene, and then at the two men while he thought about the offer. "I will have to decline I'm sorry, you can handle this just fine from here."

"That's ashamed but I understand and we appreciate all the help so far, thank you." Will shook Ryu's hand. Jack did the same and the men went back to their office to create a plan.

"I'll be right with you in a sec," Irene stayed behind.

"I knew you would figure this out." She placed herself slightly closer to Ryu.

"How you've been?" He asked in a low voice.

"I'm good, I managed to get back on my feet and just so you know, I've been clean for almost six months and I'm planning to stay clean for a long time." She smiled.

"That's really good to hear, I'm happy for you." Ryu replied with a faint smile.

"So how long will you be staying in New York this time?"

"I'm leaving tomorrow morning."

"Oh, why don't you stay a little longer? I miss you Ryu..." She got even closer to him.

He didn't respond and took his time to answer, he then looked down and frowned lightly shaking his head.

"I can't, I promised to be back home by tomorrow."

Irene was about to say something, trying to convince him somehow. But she suddenly caught the glimpse of the ring on his finger and Ryu noticed that she did. Then thick silence fell between them.

"I see, let me guess…the best friend you always talked about, am I right?"

"Irene…"

She backed away a few steps and forced a smile, "Congratulations."

"Irene, listen…"

"No, there's nothing to explain, I'm happy for you." She smiled again followed with a deep sigh.

Ryu held his silence this time.

"Well, good to see you again. Time to work…take care Ryu." Irene made her way back to her office leaving Ryu staring to the ground. He grabbed the back of his neck and sighed deeply.

Later that evening after a long walk around the city, Ryu decided to head back to his hotel room. He immediately walked to the large window and stared out. His hotel room had a good view of central park. He gazed down to the streets at the people who ran for cover and umbrellas were open as the rainfall became heavier. This place brought back many memories to him... it wasn't long ago he lived in this city with Irene. Seeing her again made him remember the crazy times in his life, when he was in love. He didn't like to be reminded of those unsafe feelings, but he couldn't help it as everything about the city reminded him of his time with her. She had turned every moment they'd spent together into painful memories. He brought his hand slightly up and stared at his wedding ring on his finger. _Kasumi…_ he missed her. The way she looked that morning before he left, he couldn't get her sexy body out of his mind. He wanted her so badly and being far away from her made him even more sexual frustrated. He couldn't wait to get home to his wife.

The shower turned on at a press of a button and the water temperature was perfect. The water thicken as it pour down on his tight workout body and the feel of the comfortable heat made Ryu's mind started to daydream. He closed his eyes and imagined her naked wet body touches his bare soaked skin, feeling her hands glided his body as it slowly made it way up to his lips and she pulled him into a kiss. _Kasumi…_

The knocked on the door shook him back to reality. He turned the shower off, quickly grabbed a thick white towel and wrapped it around his waist. He looked into the peek hole to see who it was. He opened the door.

"Irene?"


	5. Chapter 5

Irene's eyes immediately locked to his half-naked body. Ryu lowered his gaze down as he felt a little shy. Even though Irene had seen him naked before it was still a little awkward for him. He opened the door a little wider. His body language was telling her to come in. Irene gave a faint smile and led herself inside. He looked at Irene with wondering eyes as he closed the door.

"What brings you here?" Ryu curiously asked.

Irene looked around the room and took her time before replying. She turned to face him, "I just wanted to talk."

"What about?"

"Like I said…I've missed you Ryu and I feel like I have a lot to explain after how things went down between us." She continued.

"You don't owe me any explanation, but if you feel like you need to then I'm all ears." Ryu responded in cold tone and that made Irene a little irritated.

"You know what, this is a mistake. I shouldn't have come. I knew you hated me and I don't blame you." She walked passed him to try and get out of there but Ryu quickly grabbed her wrist to stop her from leaving.

"I'm sorry…" He said in a low voice.

"Tell me something… do you, miss me at all?" Irene wondered.

Ryu let go of her wrist and looked down to the floor as he thought about his answer.

"I'd be lying if I say I don't…getting over you took a toll on me… "

Irene didn't know what to say as she felt guilty inside for causing him so much pain. Their eyes met as silence fell between them.

"Oh Ryu…"

"You broke my heart Irene, but I guess I shouldn't put all the blame on you since I put myself in that situation, and I was foolish enough to believe that you were in love with me." He sighed.

"You're wrong, I was in love with you…and I still am…" She quickly responded, making Ryu frowned strangely at her words.

Shaking her head Irene continued, "But I guess it doesn't matter now as you have clearly moved on…I've really screwed things up huh."

He looked at her questionably.

"Why are you really here Irene?" He was bitter, being in the same room with her made him remember all the depression and betrayal she caused him that he couldn't help it.

"I wanted to say my sorry for how I treated you, and for some crazy reason I thought that maybe…somehow…we could give this another chance."

He looked down as he listened carefully. Irene stepped closer to him. "I wasn't myself Ryu, I would never have done what I did to you...If I wasn't…"

"Please stop." He sighed deeply.

Irene looked at him with desperation in her eyes, waiting for what he had to say.

"I don't hate you. I could never hate you. You meant a lot to me and I still care whether we are together or not. It wasn't the drugs or the drinking that hurt me, I would have still been there for you through all of that, but all the cheating and the lies….that part can't be justified, do you understand that?"

Tears suddenly raced down her cheeks, but Ryu quickly placed a hand on her cheek and wiped her tears away.

"I didn't mean for you to cry..." He felt sorry for her. She was the only girl he had fallen hard for and at that moment, he was having mix emotions about everything. Irene didn't say anything but continued to cry. Ryu wanted to comfort her, he pulled Irene closer and his arms closed around her.

"I'm so sorry Ryu…" She buried her face in his chest.

"I'm sorry too Irene…" He whispered back.

She then pulled away, "I knew…" she said while wiping the rest of the remaining tears. "You couldn't shut up about her. How angry she made you feel for leaving without saying anything and how you always wondered why she didn't bother to keep in touch. Even then, I knew that you were in love with her…no man would talk about a girl the way you talked about her and not be in love."

Ryu lightly shook his head as he strongly disagree…he was in love with Irene back then. "No, you're wrong Irene. I wasn't in love with her."

Irene then looked at him with wondering eyes, "Well whatever it was you eventually figured out that you are, because you wouldn't have married her otherwise."

Ryu shook his head once again, "I'm not in love…"

Her frown deepened, "But you're married?"

Ryu got a little uncomfortable. "It's complicated, we uh…why are you interrogating me about my marriage?" Ryu turned around, marched towards the window, and stared out as the conversation was stressing him out and he didn't know why it bothered him.

Irene stared at him confusingly from behind. She walked over to Ryu, placing herself in front of him. Slowly her arms reached up and wrapped around his neck, "Then spend the night with me…let me remind you why we belong together." She whispered seductively with her lips so close almost brushes his.

He liked her being this close as Irene knew how to make him weak. He couldn't resist, whatever she was doing it was working. For a brief seconds he imagined throwing her on the bed and do things to her. He was fighting the urge, and his body trembled as he struggled to move away from her. Irene hands went lower as her fingers gently gliding on his muscular strong arms. She then began to kiss his neck placing several soft kisses while her fingers roamed his body.

"Don't fight it Ryu, I know you want to..."

"Please stop, I can't…" He was barely able to force his words out, Ryu's heart weakened even more under her touch. Irene ignored but continued on kissing his neck.

Her smell dragged his mind back to the first night they made love, the best night of his life and oh, how she smelled so good, and he loved that smell, the smell of his favorite perfume of hers.

"Irene, I'm married…" He tried again.

"She doesn't have to know." Her hands continued gliding further down to take the towel off his waist, when two strong hands grabbed her by her wrists.

"I'll know." He responded, and moved away from her.

"But, you're not in love with her." Irene was once again confused.

"It doesn't matter, I will not do to her what you did to me. I value her friendship with every fiber of my soul."

Irene rolled her eyes and made disgusted sound to that, "You're fooling yourself Ryu and I can see that you're afraid, you're afraid to fall in love with me. I can see it in your eyes that you still feel for me."

"I don't want to fall in love with you, nor anyone else ever again." He felt slightly provoked by that.

They suddenly stared intensely at each other for a time.

"I think you should go…" He told her in a rough voice.

She was still staring at him in annoyance. "I really screwed you up didn't I..." Irene then did as told, quickly grabbed her jacket and headed for the door. Ryu followed. Before she stepped out, she turned around to face him one last time.

"You know where to find me when whatever it is that you have with her is over."

"Goodbye Irene."

Irene smirked and left. Ryu closed the door and took a deep breath. A little part within him wanted to chase her and tell her to stay. Shaking his head frustratingly, he slumped himself on the bed. He was not supposed to be weak, he was supposed to know better...but Irene…she just knew how to drive him crazy. Irene was after all the only girl he had fallen deeply in love with and perhaps seeing her again brought back to much feel, and the fact that she looked so good and so confident was the Irene he fell in love with, _couldn't her timing be much worse_. He reasoned to himself.

 _Kasumi…_

Kasumi understood him more than he understood himself. Her smile that could light up anyone's day, her charming honey color eyes... he felt safe with her, Kasumi would never betray him and he had never trusted anyone the way he trust her. Anger suddenly rose within him, he grabbed a pillow and threw it on the wall. _Damn it!_ He almost gave in…he doubted everything for a moment, almost giving in to his sexual needs with Irene. He almost destroyed everything he had with Kasumi for one night of lust and old passion. Ryu brought his hand up to look at his wedding ring. _Irene is not the one…_ he started thinking again. It was why he hated the crazy passionate consuming love that everyone desperately looked for in their lives, _such a waste toxic emotions…_

 **~Hayabusa Village~**

The following morning Kasumi got up early to train with Momiji. But before taking another step, Kasumi briefly paused, closed her eyes and inhaled the cool morning air. _Life is great…_ with a smile on her face she headed towards the entrance of the village where she was supposed to meet Momiji.

"Good morning Lady Kasumi." An old woman shouted from her garden as Kasumi passed by.

"Good Morning." She slightly bowed. Kasumi decided to look at what the woman was doing and headed over to her. "Those flowers are beautiful, your garden is gorgeous." She said looking around with excitement and adoration in her eyes.

The woman smiled. "Thank you, white lilies and tulips are my favorites, and this is a perfect time for them to bloom now that it is spring."

"Indeed, white lilies is my favorite as well." Kasumi added. "I might do some gardening myself soon. Ryu's garden could use a little touch." She giggled and so did the woman.

"How come you up so early dear?"

"I'm heading out to train with Momiji, which I'm already late…" Kasumi smiled.

"Say hi to Momiji for me and you two be careful." Said the woman.

"I will." Kasumi bowed and continued her walk. Most people were already up to do their early daily activities. Everyone who passed her bowed and greeted. She had been nervous about how she would be received by the villagers. it was one thing that she was a visitor and an ally to the clan but another that she was their leader's woman. It made her happy how truly welcome and at home the villagers have made her feel so far.

"I was wondering if you were still asleep." Said Momiji who had been waiting for her.

"I'm just five minutes late, give me a break."

Momiji smiled. "Come on, let's get going."

The two kunoichis headed to the heart of the forest, towards the riverside nearby the village where sparkling water from the noon sunlight flows through. They stood on each side of the field in their fighting stance facing each other.

"Are you ready Kasumi?"

"Give me all you got!" Kasumi firmly shouted.

"I promise Master Ryu to take it easy on you." Momiji winked, a slight attempt to provoke.

"What? I'm not that out of shape…" Before she could blink, Momiji disappeared and reappeared behind her with a striking fist but Kasumi immediately flinched to the side and quickly countered Momiji's fiery fist against her back.

"You talk too much Kasumi. Never ever take your eyes off the enemy and let them get behind you, remember? That was the basic rule." Momiji was amused.

Kasumi growled as her reaction were to slow and Momiji's attempt to provoke was working. Minutes passed and they were lunging every moves they got on each other.

"I see Ryu taught you well. You're just as annoyingly good as he is to spar with." Kasumi struggled to catch her breath, as Momiji wasn't holding back at all.

"What did you expect? He is my mentor isn't he?"

Momiji then spin around and sent a final deadly kick towards Kasumi's midsection but Kasumi jumped flip in the air with her legs landed on Momiji's shoulders tightly locking them, and then flip forward slamming Momiji to the ground. Momiji quickly got back up. A bolt of fiery energy omitted from her hand and threw it towards Kasumi. Kasumi didn't waste any time, she formed one of her own and jumped up in the air to dodge Momiji's sphere then threw her own right after. Momiji didn't see it quick enough to dodge in time, it slightly cut her arms and she stumbled down to the ground by its power. Kasumi marched closer with her arms crossed over her chest as she smirked to her friend.

"I thought you'd be harder on me. But that was too easy." She softly laughed, as her ego was slightly boosted.

"Over here Kasumi!"

Kasumi eyes widened seeing Momiji standing on a tree branch behind her.

"W-what? But you're lying on the ground in front of me…" She frowned and looked back to the ground to make sure but all she saw was a log.

"It can't be…substitution jutsu. H-how could I not tell?" She looked back at Momiji. "How long have you been standing up there?"

"Since we began." Momiji laughed. "You've been fighting my clone all along and I have to say, I worry for you Kasumi."

Kasumi fell on her knees to the ground, disappointed at how out of shape she really was. "You and me both…" she sighed.

Momiji jumped down, marched over to Kasumi and stood in front of her, "Don't be so hard on yourself, just keep training. That is the only way to get better."

"Yeah, but I didn't think that I'd be this bad though, I mean all of that were basic training…"

"You can train with me anytime you want, pouting won't make your training any better. From my observation, you still got it. Your senses might be a little off but I was impressed at your evade skills. That counter attack of yours was lightning fast." Momiji smiled.

"Thanks Momiji. I will definitely keep training harder." Kasumi smiled back.

They decided to take a break and hang out by the river. Kasumi laid down staring at the blue sky above while Momiji sat down beside her friend picking out the grass out of boredom. Kasumi then looked at her watch and sighed. It was almost noon.

Momiji noticed, "Anxious?"

"Nah, I just miss him. Ryu was supposed to be home today but he didn't say when exactly. Probably late..." Kasumi sighed once again.

"You lovebirds. So how's married life treating you?"

"So far so good, and since we got married to quickly, sadly we don't have much time for each other or more like he doesn't have time for me since Ryu didn't take any time off from his duties."

Momiji chuckled, "You look terrific…you know that?"

"Er, I do?"

"Oh yeah, all soft and glowing."

Kasumi couldn't hide her smile anymore, she felt it bloom wide. "Well, I guess that's because I'm happy."

"I always wondered when you and Master Ryu would finally get together."

Kasumi frowned, "Strange… you're not the first who had said that to me…apparently, everybody else in the village thought that we would too." Kasumi chuckled as she found it amusing since she had never even had a crush on Ryu before. Perhaps they had misinterpreted their closeness as more than just friends. It doesn't bother her, flattering almost.

"Come on Moms, you knew that Ryu and I had always been just best friends."

Momiji looked at Kasumi with a slight questionable look on her face, "It's been awhile you had called me by my nickname Kas." Then they both laughed.

"I miss this. Hanging out with you like we used to…I have been away for too long. I feel so bad for not keeping in touch with you."

"Things happens, don't beat yourself up for it. You don't owe people explanation."

Kasumi smiled at her response. "Good to be back, you have no idea."

"Anyway, I'm glad you're one of us now, at least you and Master Ryu figured it out at last."

Kasumi gave her a look.

Momiji rolled her eyes. "Don't give me that huffy look, you've been in love with that guy since forever whether you want to admit it or not. Master Ryu had always been the only one for you, we all know it."

"Hmm…so basically everybody else knew except us?"

Momiji simply nodded.

But they weren't _in love…_ Kasumi was all of sudden bothered by that. _What is so great about being in love…it's just another minds control emotion game that people have on each other…not safe feelings._

"Hey you two overthere, are you done with this spot?"

Kasumi and Momiji quickly turned around at the stranger's voice behind them. They immediately got up and walked towards them.

"Have you come to train?" Kasumi asked.

The two men nodded and walked towards Momiji and Kasumi as well.

"All yours go ahead." Momiji responded.

"Oh…hi Momiji." One of the men shyly greeted. Kasumi and the other guy looked at him. Momiji suddenly looked down and held a faint smile. "Hi…" Kasumi and the other guy then looked at Momiji.

"You two know each other?" Wondered Kasumi.

"Uh, not quite. I often shopped at his shop where he works at in the city." Momiji explained.

"How rude of us, this is my brother Shigeru and my name is Kioshi." Kioshi and Shigeru bowed.

"So this is the girl you've talking aboooouuch…" Kioshi firmly stepped on his loud mouth brother's foot.

Kasumi giggled, as Momiji's cheeks were suddenly cherry tomato red. She had never seen Momiji this shy, how amusing thought Kasumi.

"Hi there, I'm Kasumi and you obviously already know Momiji."

"Kasu…? You're Kasumi of the Mugen Tenshin?" Shigeru eyes widened.

Kasumi nodded as she frowned at him curiously.

"You're famous among the clans, many guys in our village were depressed after learning the news of you marrying Hayabusa." He softly laughed.

Kasumi's eyes widened, "famous…the news sure travel quickly around here…" she wasn't flattered somehow.

"No offence Princess Kasumi, but do you mind telling that douche brother of yours to stop picking fights in our village?"

"Who are you calling a douche? And what exactly did he do…?"

Momiji and Kioshi listened curiously at the two talking, and then their eyes met. He smiled and she smiled back at him.

"He comes by often to see our leader and for a ninja that guy sure have quite of a temper. He ticked off over nothing." Shigeru then lifted his shirt to show a scar he had gotten from Hayate.

Kasumi was a little shy looking at Shigeru's abs. "Hayate did that…well, Hayate is a hot head. Are you sure that you didn't insult him in any way? He doesn't usually beat people up for no reason." Said Kasumi.

"Uh, well…erhm…this is embarrassing but I did perhaps say something about how beautiful you are." He suddenly blushed.

Kasumi couldn't hold in a giggle and same with Momiji, "That sounds like Hayate alright." Momiji pointed out.

Kasumi shook her head, "That is not even a reason to beat up anyone. Silly big brother…I'm sorry on his behalf." Kasumi smiled. Shigeru smiled back. Silence suddenly surrounded all of them. Briefly Kasumi and Shigeru's eyes locked awkwardly.

"I guess we better start training," Shigeru quickly said.

"Yep, we should go." Kasumi responded right after.

"Hey, why don't you guys spar with us?" Kioshi suggested, as he didn't want Momiji to leave.

The ladies looked briefly at each other, "Uh, I will have to decline as I have…to be…somewhere." Kasumi cleared her throat, she lied because she didn't want to join them in a sparring match out of her insecurity. She didn't want to embarrass herself due to her lack of training.

Momiji figured it out, "Perhaps some other time."

"Oh okay." Kioshi looked disappointed and Kasumi felt bad, as he obviously wanted Momiji to stay.

Shigeru figured it out as well, "Say what, my brother will be here tomorrow, same time." Kasumi finished his thought, "Yeah… Momiji why don't you and Kioshi meet up to train together?" Shigeru gave Kasumi a warm teasing smile, as they knew what each other were thinking. "So what do you guys say?" Kasumi continued.

Momiji and Kioshi weren't amused as they could tell that they were obviously trying to set them up.

"Please ignore my foolish brother…I wouldn't want to…"

"Tomorrow sounds good." Momiji interrupted him. His eyes widened surprisingly.

"Alright…tomorrow it is. I look forward to it." Kioshi replied with a smile. Momiji smiled back and then the women bowed to excuse themselves.

Shigeru was staring at Kasumi until she disappeared. "Damn, I haven't seen her in awhile, she is even more beautiful now. If she wasn't married to that scary dragon dude, I would definitely take her out." Shigeru mumbled.

"Don't mess with her, she's a Mugen and now married to Ryu Hayabusa. Those people are no joke." Kioshi advised making Shigeru sighed deeply.

"You're just a dream crusher aren't you?" Shigeru replied in annoyance, "The spring dance festival is around the corner, why don't you invite Momiji to be your dance partner." Shigeru suggested raising a brow.

"Well, I might I'd ask her tomorrow. I hope she says yes." Kioshi couldn't help but smile.

"Pretty sure she will, at least you got someone to go with…oh well, let's get started." Shigeru sighed hopelessly.

Momiji had been glaring at Kasumi on their way home and Kasumi was getting uncomfortable by her glare.

"Is there something on my face? Stop staring will you." She said awkwardly.

"Kasumi, what the hell was that?"

"What's what?"

"Back there, with Shigeru." Momiji made it more clearly.

"What do you mean…?"

Momiji rolled her eyes, "The flirt and the giggles, the look…he was drooling over you for sure."

Kasumi laughed, "That's his problem and I wasn't flirting…I wouldn't do that to Ryu. How could you think that?" Kasumi quickly explained.

"I didn't mean to accuse you, I don't know…look, nevermind. I was out of line…sorry about that." Momiji sighed.

"It's okay Moms, I know you meant well." Kasumi smiled, but Kasumi's expression turned into a puzzled expression. _Yeah…what was that?_ She asked herself. She had an instant attracted chemistry to Shigeru. Briefly but she felt it…for couple a minute there she actually had forgotten that she was married. Could it be because she wasn't in love with Ryu? Therefore it naturally came easily when boys approached her…she kept on thinking. Kasumi sighed and soon shrugged it away.

Both Kunoichi arrived back at the village. Sanji and a little girl came running towards them.

"Momiji momiji!" Sanji shouted.

"What is it Sanji, is everything alright?" Momiji held a concern look.

"Flower, She is having baby!" The little girl replied and Sanji nodded.

"Oh finally, I'll be right with you…can't miss this." Said momiji as she was excited.

Kasumi was confused, "Who is…Flower?"

"She is a cow." Momiji replied. "Do you want to come and watch?"

"No thanks." Kasumi loves cows but seeing them give birth…she wasn't that brave.

Momiji chuckled, "Alright, see you later then."

"See ya, hey let me know how it goes with Kioshi tomorrow." Kasumi blinked.

"I will I will." Momiji rolled her eyes and followed the children.

Kasumi stared their way as she smiled. _I love this village_.

"Miss me." Someone suddenly whispered into her ear.

Kasumi quickly turned around as Ryu startled the hell out of her. "Oh god, you almost gave me a heart attack." Ryu slightly chuckled. Kasumi surprised expression soon turned into a big smile. She was about to lean in for a hug but Ryu took her hand firmly and dragged her home. Kasumi stumbled a few steps.

"Uh, Ryu calm down…why are you in such a hurry?" Ryu didn't reply, Kasumi was to slow so he abruptly stopped, lifted her in his arms and over his shoulder. "Alright alright I miss you too…" Kasumi mumbled. Once they were inside, Ryu slammed the door, lock it then put Kasumi down and pushed her against the wall. He was not wasting any more time as he desperately pressed his lips on hers. Kasumi happily responded, "It was about time Ryu…" She softly growled. He smirked, he continued down to her neck and lifted her arms above her head and pinned them on the wall while exploring her neck and his lips tracked back to her lips. Their body firmly pressed against each other, Kasumi soft moans were music to his ears. He looked down at her petit body, "You're wearing too much clothes…" Ryu whispered making Kasumi chuckled, "That can be easily fix," she whispered back. Ryu helped her lifted her shirt off her exposing the white bra she had underneath. The sight at her perfect cleavage was making Ryu crazy for more. He had waited long enough and nothing could come between them now. He placed a quick kiss between her breasts and soon he grabbed both of her thighs and lifted her up with her legs tightly wrapped around him while they wildly kiss each other.

 ***Knock knock***

Ryu sighed in annoyance, "Are you kidding me."

Kasumi laughed as she was starting to think that this might never happen.

"Just ignore maybe it will go away." Ryu whispered and continued kissing Kasumi.

 ***Knock knock***

The knocks became louder, "Ryu open up! This is urgent." Joe Hayabusa said from the outside.

Ryu rolled his eyes, "Way to kill the mood." He muttered.

Kasumi smiled, "We have tonight, and people are asleep then. I don't want to keep you from your duty, it sounded important. It's okay…" She whispered in an understanding tone.

Ryu looked at Kasumi's half-naked body and he wanted to cry, as he wanted her so badly. He was beyond sexual frustrated after everything. "Alright…"

"RYU! I know you're in there." Joe shouted.

"I'm coming!" Ryu firmly said. Kasumi quickly grabbed her clothes and headed to take a shower after a long day of training.

"What do you want father?" Ryu said as he opened the door.

"Watch your tone with me!" Joe didn't like Ryu's attitude.

"I'm sorry…I'm just…tired." Ryu sighed.

"Alright, I understand. I have set up a meeting and we need you there so let's not keep people waiting."

Ryu nodded and followed his father, Kasumi would have to wait again, he was disappointed but it was his own fault for not taking any day off. A week ago, he didn't even know what he would be married so he couldn't do much about it for now.

The rest of the day had passed and it was almost midnight. Ryu was on his way back to the house and he hoped that Kasumi had kept the bed warm for him. He hadn't had a break since he came back from New York but he didn't care. He missed Kasumi and he didn't want to wait to have her. Sliding open the bedroom door he silently walked inside as Kasumi seemed asleep. After a quick shower, he joined her in bed. He was sticking to his plan no matter what, he was sure that Kasumi wouldn't mind being awake by him. He began kissing her arms and made his way to her neck and softly on her lips. Kasumi smiled and slowly opened her sleepy cinnamon eyes.

"Ryu…" She mumbled. He smiled and began to roam her smooth skin. Kasumi stopped him.

"Ryu…we can't…sorry." She yawned and could barely keep her eyes open.

"Don't you want to?" He asked.

"Very much…but, I got my period a few hours ago." She gave him a quick kiss on the lips, "We can do it next week. No rush right," It didn't take long for Kasumi to fall back to sleep. She was exhausted.

Ryu closed his eyes, Great he thought. Now she was using his words against him.

"We can just cuddle…" Ryu didn't give up.

"Not happening Ryu…I don't like to be touched when I'm on that time of the month. I need my space sorry." She mumbled in her sleepy voice.

Ryu stared at the ceiling without blinking. He couldn't even touch her… it was torture. Kasumi's snore was getting louder by the minute. Ryu sighed deeply, he couldn't sleep and lying beside Kasumi wasn't making his mood any better so he abruptly got out of the bed putting his clothes back on to head out. His movement woke Kasumi.

"Where are you going this late?" She asked.

"To meditate," He softly replied.

"Oh okay, have fun." She continued her sleep. He looked briefly at her hot body, _somebody hates me…_ Ryu then left closing the door behind him.


	6. Chapter 6

Another day had quickly passed. Ryu had been busy with his duties and Kasumi had spent her day with Ayane as she had promised. Like any other night that week, Ryu came home late and Kasumi was already in bed. It was hard for him seeing Kasumi in her revealing nightgown but he could wait a few days longer. She was worth the wait thought Ryu. After his usual night routines, shower, brushing his teeth, he then crawled in the bed. His movements woke Kasumi. She shifted, wrapped her arm around, and placed her head on his muscular chest. Ryu placed a kiss on the top of her head.

"Are you busy tomorrow?" Kasumi whispered while struggling to keep her eyes open.

"No…"

"Good, family dinner."

"With your whole family…?"

"Mhm," Kasumi nodded.

"Will Hayate be there?"

"Yeah…"

Ryu sighed, "Can't wait…"

"Give him a break, maybe he wants to congratulate us." Said Kasumi.

Ryu stared at the ceiling while softly stroking Kasumi's arm. His mind wandered back to New York. He was thinking about Irene and the things she said to him. It was still bugging Ryu how easily he could have fallen for Irene. He wondered if he should tell Kasumi about his trip to New York and about Irene, but he was too afraid that Kasumi would take it wrongly and he might ruined what they have.

Kasumi lifted her head to look at him, "What's on your mind? You look dead serious just now…"

"It's nothing, I'm just happy…I hope you never leave me ever again." Ryu said in a concern tone that made Kasumi wondered strangely.

"I won't…we belong together." Kasumi smiled.

Irene's voice suddenly echoed in his mind, _**"Let me remind you why we belong together."**_ Ryu let out a frustrated sigh.

"I have to admit, I had a little doubt that this might work at first since we are not in love and all, you should have seen me…I've been smiling like a fool this week. That's how happy I am." Said Kasumi.

Ryu smiled, "You're amazing you know that?"

She placed her head back on his chest, "I know." Ryu chuckled at her silly response.

"Wait until you have sex with me…" She continued teasing and then they both softly laughed. Kasumi tightened her arm around him as she slowly drifted off to sleep.

"Good night Ryu."

"Good night Kasumi."

The next day they arrived at the Mugen Tenshin. The village gate were open by two ninjas. Kasumi and Ryu walked inside together hand in hand.

"Princess Kasumi, welcome back." The ninjas bowed and Ryu and Kasumi did the same.

"Thank you." She smiled.

They head to the house and knocked on the door. Ayane opened the door with a wide smile on her face. "Come in, everyone is in the kitchen." The pair walked inside and Kasumi gave Ayane a quick hug. The aroma of chicken stew filled the hallway. There was nothing as her mother's cooking thought Kasumi. Once in the kitchen Kasumi went ahead and gave her mother a hug.

"What is that in your hand?" Asked Ayame.

"I brought dessert. I challenged myself and baked this strawberry cake for you all. I hope it will taste…" Kasumi giggled.

"I'm sure it's delicious." Ayame smiled.

Ryu and Shiden began talking, "I hope you had treated my daughter the way she deserves to be treated Ryu."

"Father please, don't start…" Kasumi rolled her eyes. Ryu only smiled, as he understood that Shiden had always been an overprotective father and that he meant well. While everyone were making small talk, Kasumi noticed something.

"Ayane, I thought you said that everybody was here. Where is Hayate?"

"He will be here soon, he was running late due to his duties." Shiden responded.

"I worry for him…" Ayame then added while preparing dinner. Kasumi and Ayane helped.

"Why is that mother?"

"He had been acting strange, distanced…I'm not quite sure how to put it."

Ayane joined in, "I notice it too, I tried to talk him yesterday but it was like talking to a wall."

Kasumi frowned, "Don't be so rude Ayane, maybe something is wrong, and did anyone bother to ask if something was wrong?"

"We did and he said that he was fine, it's probably because of the stress from running the clan. He had only become the leader not too long ago. "Shiden replied.

Ryu looked at all of them with a look, Kasumi noticed. That was a look that he knew something. It made her curious if Ryu knew something that he was not telling. However, she didn't want to put him on the spot and rather wait for later to ask when they are alone.

"I hope Hayate gets here soon. Dinner is almost done." Said Ayame.

Suddenly they heard someone closing the front door.

"Talking about the devil." Ayane giggled.

Hayate walked into the kitchen, "Sorry I'm late." He spoke low, gave his mother a kiss on the cheek, and then placed his palm on top of Ayane's head and messed with her hair briefly. Ayane flinched and asked Hayate to stop doing that but Hayate didn't care. He then walked to the table to take his seat. Kasumi felt ignored…Hayate didn't even look at her. _What's up with that…_ She thought silently to herself.

Once he sat down, his gaze instantly locked at Ryu who was sitting on the opposite side of him. Ryu stared hard back at him. Neither said a word and Kasumi could feel the tension. She guessed that Ryu might be right, this dinner was going to be a disaster after all if Hayate decided to be an ass. Kasumi sighed as she prepared for the worst and hope for the best. Ayame brought the dinner to the table and everyone took their seats. Soon they began to dig in and continued making friendly conversation. Hayate and Ryu however sat quietly on their ends.

"Hayate, I haven't seen you in a while…how you've been?" Kasumi tried to get his attention and to make him talk more.

"Good."

Kasumi sighed, as it seemed pointless. She had missed him these last few weeks and was actually excited to see him but Hayate only gave her cold vibe.

"Don't bother Kasumi." Ryu suddenly said making Hayate immediately looked at him.

"Don't tell her what to do Ryu."

"I wasn't telling my wife anything…"

"Your wife…? Are you listening to yourself?" Hayate chuckled.

"Is everything alright?" Ayame noticed the tension between the two. Silence surrounded the table…

"Everything is fine mother." Hayate shortly replied.

"Can we just eat and be civil." Shiden added giving Hayate a look. Hayate didn't argue. Kasumi sighed once again and focused on eating her dinner. She was afraid to say anything as Hayate seemed to be irritated, anything she say could be use against her, and so she avoided him. Kasumi and Ayane looked at each other. The girls suddenly started to giggle as they were thinking about the funny thing they did yesterday when they were hanging out.

"What are you two laughing about?" Asked Shiden.

"Something funny happened yesterday." Kasumi replied and Ayane nodded.

Ayame smiled at the two. "What happened?"

"Tell everyone Ayane, I think you'd tell this better than me."

"Alright, Kasumi and I went to this place in Tokyo…there was…"

"Kasumi, why don't you tell everyone about your trip to Canada instead?" Hayate interrupted. Kasumi's eyes widened in horror.

"Hello? I was talking here…" Ayane was annoyed at how rude Hayate was.

"Shut up Ayane." Hayate strictly told her.

"That's enough. That is not the way to talk to your sister." Shiden didn't like how his son was behaving.

"Go on Ayane, you were telling us something." Ayame joined in but Ayane stared at Hayate in annoyance. She rose up from her chair, shoved her chair back in and threw her napkin on the table.

"You're such a jerk." She barked at Hayate. "Sorry mother but I lost my appetite." then left the kitchen.

"Ayane come back." Kasumi tried to call after her but it was too late, Ayane slammed the front door behind her.

"Hayate what the hell…" Kasumi was confused.

Shiden shook his head. "Hayate, if you don't want to be here then leave."

"No father, I want to be here. Aren't you all curious to know about her two-year long trip? I want to hear all about it... "

"Go on Kasumi…" Hayate smiled.

"Please stop…" Kasumi begged, as she knew that Hayate wouldn't stop once he was on this state of mind. Hell was about to break lose.

Ryu was getting a headache. He hates it when people argue as he had enough of it growing up. Hayate was getting on his nerve. But he tried to stay out of it.

Hayate then gave Ryu a look, "Oh Ryu I almost forgot, so how was New York? Hey Kasumi did he tell you about his trip to New York couple of days ago. Yep, big mission…" Hayate then burst into a sarcastic laugh. Everybody looked at him strangely. "Who was that chick you worked with, that chick that was in your hotel room, hmm…what was her name again..."

"What the hell is your problem?" Ryu interrupted but Hayate ignored.

"Irene! Now I remember. Kasumi you do know who Irene is right?"

Kasumi's eyes grew even larger, "Irene was in your hotel room…?" Kasumi looked at Ryu but Ryu kept his eyes on Hayate. "Ryu is that true?" Kasumi softly asked but Ryu didn't respond as rage within him was building towards Hayate.

"Maybe you should tell everybody on the table the real reason you visit Germany every weekend…" Ryu wanted Hayate to taste his own medicine. Hayate gave Ryu a warning stare.

Ignoring the stare Ryu then continued, "Master Shiden and Lady Ayame, did you know that you are grandparent?"

Ayame's and Shiden's eyes widened as they replied in unison, "What!"

Before Ryu could blink his eyes, Hayate flew across the table and grabbed Ryu by his shirt ready his fist to punch him. Shiden quickly grabbed Hayate's fist and pulled him away from the table with all strength and out of the kitchen. "I'm going to kill you Ryu!" Hayate shouted repeatedly while being force to leave the room. Shiden had taken him away to calm him down.

Kasumi's heart was pounding, she thought that either Ryu or Hayate was about to get hurt. She was relieved that her father stopped everything.

The kitchen was suddenly dead silence. Ryu lower himself back to his seat staring at his plate. Kasumi didn't know what to say or do. She then looked at her mother who looked really sad and disappointed.

"Mother I'm truly sorry, you cooked this delicious dinner and…we ruined everything," Kasumi felt terribly guilty.

"It's okay honey. It wasn't your fault." Ayame forced a smile. "I'm going to check on your sister," she rose up from her chair to find Ayane.

Ryu and Kasumi were alone. She was upset and couldn't even look at him.

"Kasumi…"

"Don't." She didn't want to hear it.

Hours had passed. Kasumi had been avoiding Ryu as she didn't want to argue with him. Right now as she sat on a bench outside, her mind was everywhere and confused about what was happening. Shiden and Ayame had been talking to Hayate for a while. Ayane approached Kasumi and sat beside her. After a few minutes of silence Ayane spoke.

She sighed, "I can't believe I left the kitchen too early and missed out all of the drama." Kasumi frowned as she glared at Ayane…she was starting to believe that her whole family was not normal.

Ayane noticed her glare, "What?"

Kasumi shook her head, "I feel bad for Hayate…"

"Now I know why he always seemed so tired and grumpy all the time. I can't believe that he has a secret child with that bimbo." Ayane continued.

Kasumi shook her head once again, "Seriously Ayane…Hayate is our brother, we need to support him. Maybe that was the reason he kept it a secret because he knows mother and father would have not approved."

Ayane frowned, "I don't think that's the reason. I mean, he has a reputation to protect. Think about it… a child with an outsider and out of marriage. He had to lead with example you know. This is why I'm glad I'm the youngest." Ayane smirked.

Kasumi rolled her eyes at Ayane's words, as Ayane can be to blunt with her opinions. Silence surrounded the sisters.

Footsteps approached the bench…they both turned to look who it was. Kasumi let out a frustrated breath. Ayane figured that he wanted to talk to her alone and got up to leave. She only smiled at Ryu when she passed by him. Ryu sat next to Kasumi but Kasumi kept her gaze the other way, as she still couldn't look at him.

"Are you going to ignore me all day?"

She didn't reply but kept a blank face expression as she stared into the air. Ryu sighed and held his silence.

"Why did you do that…tell on Hayate." She finally spoke but kept her voice low and calm.

"Heat of the moment, he was pushing it…and I couldn't stop. I do feel terrible about it."

"Because he was right about Irene? Funny…" Kasumi rolled her eyes.

"How the hell did he know anyway, was he spying on us?" Ryu wondered. Kasumi had enough. She rose to her feet and stood in front of Ryu.

"That is not the point Ryu! If you weren't so keen to keep it a secret then you wouldn't have been so mad with Hayate for mentioning it. People who have nothing to hide hides nothing." Kasumi barked, as she was frustrated.

"Kasumi…"

"Oh god, please tell me that you didn't sleep with her…you were going to sleep with me right after you came back, do you realise how disgusting that is?" Kasumi was getting angrier at the thought that he might have.

Ryu immediately rose up from the bench and grabbed Kasumi by her shoulders, "No I didn't sleep with her…"

Kasumi pulled away from his hold and kept her distance, "You're my best friend Ryu, don't treat me the way she treated you. I can handle honesty but I will not tolerate lies and deception. Tell me what is going on?"

Ryu stared at her. Her eyes looked sad, the same eyes she had when she first came back. Those were that bastard Rig doings. They both knew what it felt like to have been lied and cheated on by the person they claimed to love. He refused to do the same to her. She was giving him a chance to be honest. Kasumi was still looking deeply into his eyes waiting for him to explain himself.

Ryu began, "I was in New York to help with an interrogation. I didn't expect to see Irene there, nor did I plan to see her. But I did and that was it. Until later that evening she came uninvited to my hotel room."

Kasumi kept listening without interrupting. She slightly frowned, "What did she want?"

"She…wanted to get back together..."

Kasumi frowned even more, "Did she know that you're married?"

"Yeah…"

Kasumi then sighed. Slowly she sat back down on the bench. Ryu knelt down and placed his hands on her thighs. "I want to be completely honest with you Kasumi, we have always been able to tell each other everything right?"

"Is there more?"

Ryu nodded, "Irene tried to seduce me to spend the night with her, and I…almost gave in."

"I see…what made you stop?" Kasumi wasn't sure how to react but she asked for his honesty so she force herself to listen calmly.

"You, I thought about you, us…our friendship. Nothing was worth losing your friendship. Please understand that it was tough for me to see her again as I had so many feelings for Irene, unfinished emotions when I left her." Ryu continued.

Kasumi held her silence as she thought about what he just told her. She then stared at his concern face, he looked afraid…she lifted her hand and stroke his cheek softly. "Thank you for being honest." She faintly smiled.

"You're not angry?"

Kasumi shook her head. "I don't exactly feel like a million bucks right now but I get it. We have only been married for a week and I don't expect you to be perfect Ryu. Let's not forget that we are not in love, but you were in love with Irene… it's only natural that she made you weak."

"I'm glad that you didn't give in though, because that would have been a different story." She patted his cheek firmly a couple times. Ryu grabbed her hand and kissed her knuckles, "I don't deserve you…" He sighed. "I doubted you Kasumi…I doubted that you would have understood, that's why I couldn't talk to you about it even though I wanted to." He shook his head disappointed with himself.

"Well, now you know not to underestimate our friendship ever again." She smiled and Ryu smiled back. Kasumi suddenly caught a glimpse of Hayate walking out of the house. Ryu turned to look as Kasumi concern expression was telling. "Ryu I got to talk to him…I can't leave things like this." Ryu nodded, Kasumi then got up and headed towards Hayate. Ryu only observed from the distance.

Hayate was walking a fast pace, he looked upset. He stopped and sighed at the sound of Kasumi calling after him. He turned around and stared at her as she approached him.

"What do you want?" Hayate asked in a cold tone. Hayate had never been that way towards her before and it was bugging her to the core.

"Why are you so upset with me...?"

Hayate kept staring at her not responding and it made Kasumi uncomfortable. "Say something…"

"I don't know you anymore Kasumi, you lied to me. All these time you were playing house with a boy? We don't even hear from you, and then you came back and act like everything was okay. We are your family but you treated us as if we did not existed for the past two years. Why did you even come back?"

Hayate's words hit her like a knife through her chest, "I made my mistakes Hayate…if you want to punish me for it then fine I deserve it. I'm not proud of how things went…I can't undo what I've done, but I'm trying to learn from my mistakes."

"And yet you keep making the same mistake and that makes you a slow learner sis." Hayate chuckled. "Everybody might believe this fairytale game you're playing with Ryu but I don't buy it."

"It's not a game…" Kasumi quickly defended herself.

"I was gone for three days then all of sudden I hear people talked about this great party celebrating your love with Ryu…I seriously thought that it was joke at first and that my sister cannot be this stupid and once again I was proven wrong." Hayate shook his head.

"I take this marriage very seriously, we both do…it's not a game. Why can't you just support that?"

"Wow, I must have stupid written on my forehead or something…like I said, I don't buy it Kasumi. Ryu is not the guy you think he is."

Kasumi didn't like his judgmental tone. "You're such a hypocrite you know that, you're no better Hayate. You lied about Hitomi and everything else but yet you only see my faults?"

Hayate placed himself closer and stared strictly into her eyes. "The difference between you and Hitomi is that she would never have tolerated to be treated like garbage by any man. Sooner or later Ryu will break your heart and when he does, don't come running back home then."

"How could you…" Kasumi's eyes were getting teary as she struggled to find words to make Hayate understand.

"We're done talking." Hayate turned his back against Kasumi and left her standing staring at the ground.

Kasumi shouted, "What have I ever done to you Hayate…?" Her eyes spilled with tears, as she couldn't understand why her brother was so cruel. Hayate kept on walking ignoring her. Ryu and Hayate briefly locked eyes then Hayate disappeared. She couldn't move but found herself crying even more. Ryu walked over and wrapped his arms around Kasumi. She buried her head in his chest. "Why is Hayate acting like this, it's like he hates me…"

"Give him time…he doesn't hate you. He is going through a lot himself lately and he had been directing his anger towards the wrong people. He will come around don't worry." Ryu tried to comfort Kasumi.

"I hope you're right…" She wiped her tears. "Can we go home now?"

"Whenever you ready." Ryu caressed her cheek. Ryu and Kasumi said their goodbyes and headed back to Hayabusa village.

The walk home was quiet. Ryu was feeling guilty for revealing Hayate's secret and Kasumi was feeling guilty about everything. The more she thought about it the more she agreed with Hayate and it was making her depressed. She had lost his trust and brotherly love…there wasn't much she could do about it now but give Hayate time and space. Hopefully then she could make it up to him somehow. It pains her to think that she couldn't get along with her brother as Kasumi consider him as one of the most important person in her life.

Ryu opened the door to his house and the pair walked inside in silent. It had been a long day for the both of them, Kasumi just wanted to go to bed and forget about the whole day. She dragged herself to the bedroom, slumped herself on the bed without bothering taking anything off her and then stared at the ceiling. Ryu leaned himself on the side of the door and looked at her.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

Kasumi only nodded, too depressed to talk. Ryu made his way towards the bed and took the shoes off Kasumi's feet. Kasumi raised no reaction but let him and kept staring at the ceiling. "Do you want to talk?" He then asked as he sat beside her. Kasumi shook her head. Ryu figured that Kasumi perhaps wanted to be alone so he decided to leave.

"Ryu…"

Ryu turned back around, "Yes?"

"Can…you stay here with me for a little longer?" Her voice was shaky. He immediately crawled in beside her and wrapped his arms around. The stayed like that for a while.

Couple days later things went back to normal and Kasumi was feeling great again. She kept herself busy with training and Ryu was back to his duties. Like any regular night, the pair only got to see each other during bedtime. This time Kasumi was wide-awake when Ryu got home. She laid on the bed reading her book. Ryu placed a quick kiss on her forehead while Kasumi concentrated her eyes on her book. Ryu frowned at her as Kasumi hardly reacted to his presence, he then peeked under to see what kind of book she was reading. Two very naked people on the cover so he guessed that she was on the juicy parts of the book or something, as she looked dead serious.

"Alejandro you bastard…" Kasumi mumbled to herself as she flipped to the next page aggressively. Ryu frowned once again but let Kasumi be. He couldn't help but smile at how cute Kasumi was. He began his usual night routine to get ready for bed. Starting with stripping his clothes off one by one. Kasumi peeked over her book as Ryu lifted his shirt off him exposing his work out body.

 _Damn, Ryu has a body like a god…_ She still hadn't seen him completely naked yet. Kasumi was beginning to get more curious of what Ryu actually looked like completely naked. Ryu began to unzip his pants and Kasumi hold herself waiting for him to take it all off. Leaving his boxers on, he began to talk to her. Kasumi however didn't seem to hear him but had her eyes on his bulge. Ryu smirked and walked closer to Kasumi, standing closely on purpose.

"Kasumi… are you there?"

Kasumi double blinked her eyes as his voice snapped her out of it.

"Yeah…I'm here." Quickly moving her gaze away from his bulge and up to his eyes.

"Now that I have taken a week off, what do you say we go on fishing trips this weekend on the other side of the mountain? Just you and me away from everyone and everything."

Kasumi closed her book and put it on the nightstand. "That sounds great! I used to love tagging along on your fishing trips." Kasumi smiled widely.

Ryu sat by the bed as he looked into her eyes, "You remember that jail we built down by the river?"

"Out of willow branches. Oh, yeah." Her eyes were bright with the memory. "Lashed it all together with bark. That amazed me. How you made those long strips with your pocketknife and they were strong as lengths of rope. Impressive I tell you."

Ryu chuckled, "Good old days." He placed a quick kiss on her lips then he got up to take a shower.

"So are we staying in your cabin then?" Kasumi wondered. Ryu turned around and nodded. He gave her a special look, a look was hinting that fishing wasn't the only thing he had in mind. Kasumi gave him that special smile, as they both knew what each other were thinking.

The weekend arrived. They got to the cabin early in the morning, once inside the cabin, Ryu and Kasumi immediately put their bags down and got ready to go fishing at the lake nearby. A place filled with memories of their childhood. Back then during summertime, they would wander the hillsides, and do a lot of thing together like mountain climbing, fishing and training. By the end of the day, they would take a dip in the lake to cool off from the heat and had picnics afterwards. Ryu might not have the happiest childhood but he was always happy when he was with her. He was close with Hayate as well, but now they had only kept a work relationship. He couldn't quite figure why Hayate dislike him all these years. He had asked one time, but it led to a fight. Hayate was not the type who would listen nor admit his wrongs, he'd rather fight than talk. After that, Ryu kept his distance and left Hayate be.

The weather that day was hot and perfect. They got a few fish and then sat by the river having picnic, talked, and laughed for hours until evening time. They gathered their belongings and hand in hand, Ryu and Kasumi walked back to their cabin as it was beginning to get dark. After they both had showers, they continued hanging out by the fireplace. The mountainside was extra chilly during nighttime. Kasumi sat with her glass of wine in her hand and a blanket wrapped around her. Ryu was beside her with his arm wrapped around her. Kasumi couldn't help but smile as the day couldn't be more perfect she thought.

Suddenly Hayate came to her mind, "Ryu…"

"Yes?" He softly replied.

"I'm just thinking…about Hayate."

"What about him?"

"I can't believe he has a child…and that makes me and Ayane aunts." Kasumi was curious about the Hayate situation. She then slightly turned to look at him. "Do you know what he has? I mean a boy or a girl… and how old?"

"A girl…if I'm not mistaken, she is about ten months old. I should have kept my mouth shut. Hayate will hate me for a long time after this." Ryu sighed.

"A secret like that will come out eventually, it didn't come out the best way but it is what it is now. Hopefully I can meet her someday." Kasumi smiled.

"Kasumi…"

"What is it?" She wondered.

"Where do you stand on kids?" Ryu was a little curious.

"I don't know…I've never thought much about it really. However if we ever to expand, I'm up for two," She told him, thinking about her family. Growing up, she'd often felt just a little bit ignored, a quiet middle child who did as told and never got in trouble. Hayate was the first-born, he was a big deal being the heir of their clan and all. Her father would spent most of his times with Hayate preparing and training him. Hayate got the most attention out of the three. Ayane was and still is the golden child, the baby who got away with everything and got everything she pointed. With two children, she could be sure each one gets lots of attention.

"Two it is." Ryu agreed, "But what do you say we holding off on the kids for a while? I want you to myself for a year or two." He suggested.

"That sounds smart, I mean children are blessings but we just get started here and a child might put a lot of stress on the marriage, we should wait until we are more established." Kasumi replied and Ryu smiled as he agreed once again.

"That means that we also have to be extra careful," Kasumi gave him a teasing smile but Ryu stared into her eyes without blinking. He got up and put away their wine glasses but then he only stood and stared down at her. Kasumi gaze up as she stared back at him wondering what Ryu was thinking.

"Come here," His voice was rough and low.

Kasumi was still staring at him with wondering eyes. It strike her that it was happening, they were going to do it. Suddenly she was feeling a little nervous but also a little excited at the same time.

"Kasumi, come here." He held out his hand. This time his voice was slightly demanding and she didn't need to be told the third time. Kasumi rose to her feet and placed herself closer to him. She wrapped her arms around his strong neck, while he wrapped his around her petit waists. She then lifted her mouth to him. Softly she placed a quick kiss on his lips.

"Do that again." Ryu whispered.

"Do what again?"

"Kiss me."

Commanding her…So she did, she put her hands on his big shoulders, just to feel the muscular shape of them. He deepened the kiss. She slid her arms back around his neck and let his tongue in. Oh, the sheer pleasure of it, the roughness of his tongue as it stroked past her parted lips and found the slick, wet surfaces inside. Kasumi gasped with hungry cry for more as she instinctively pressing her hips up to him. His big hands splayed on her back and he pressed her even tighter into him. A low needful moan rose from her throat when she felt Ryu's harden bulge below. She wanted him. Wanted Ryu. Her lifelong friend, and now so suddenly, her husband. The kiss broke, just long enough for the both of them to lift their shirts off and threw them away on the floor. His mouth covered hers again. A groan of pure delight escaped her as he cupped her breasts. Her hands traveled down, to touch him, curling her fingers over the hard thick length of him. He groaned, as the sensation of her touch was electric. She couldn't wait any longer, she needed him, had to have him. He must have felt the same, because all at once they were tearing the rest of each other's clothes. She undid his khakis and shoved them down, along with the boxers beneath. A flick of his clever fingers and her bra came undone. She wiggled it off and tossed it over her shoulder. Within seconds, they were both naked, standing there in the middle of the room revealed to each other. The moonlight shined through the window and on Kasumi. His breath all tangled at his throat. "Wow, you're beautiful…"Kasumi looked like a goddess as she stood there looking at him. Ryu gazed lower at her hot tattoo under her breast and raised his brow at it. It was a little surprise to his eyes and he had never seen such a beautiful sight.

If a man could be called beautiful, Ryu was, with those broad shoulders and muscled arms. His tight belly and hard thighs. She glanced down, her gaze lingering on the hard, thick evidence that he wanted her every bit as much as she wanted him. Her whole body was aching for him. Suddenly, somewhere far back in her mind, a warning bell sounded. How could this be happening with Ryu? It wasn't supposed to be this way. Not with Ryu. This feelings wasn't safe. The wild pulsing of her blood, the weakness on her knees, the heavy wetness between her legs, the overwhelming ache in every cell of her body….to touch him, to take him inside her…this was stronger, more powerful and more consuming than anything she had ever felt before. This made all the hot times with Rig Donovan seem, the word came to her, _shallow._

This turned out to be more than she had expected, this wasn't what she and Ryu agreed on when they got married. This wild, crazy and out of control. Everything she and Ryu had supposedly married to avoid.

 _Well, and so what?_ She laughed within her. It appeared she was going to have a great sex…the best sex of her life, tonight, with her husband and really, did she have a problem with that?

Ryu didn't want to waste any more time, he desperately wanted her as he had been waiting for too long for this moment with Kasumi. Bending his head to hers, he began to kiss her again. Kasumi let out a soft moan and rubbed her breasts against his chest. He brought his hand between them, catching the nipples and rolling them, making them ache deliciously. Below she felt herself opening, wetter than ever, aching for the feel of him. His hand moved lower until he found her bottom and cupped them to pull her tighter into him, pressing her against his raging erection. He then loosened his hold on her bottom to make enough space so he could slip his hands in between her thighs. Kasumi cried out into his mouth at his touch. It was driving her crazy…he softly caught her lips between his teeth as he murmured into her mouth, "So hot, so wet…for me…"He stroked her repeatedly, then he slipped a finger deep inside. "Oh, Ryu…" Her breathing quickened, and then two, sliding them in and out in a rhythm so slow and sweet it drove her _wild_. She wasn't supposed to be wild for her husband. That wasn't the plan.

 _Too bad for the plan…_

She was wild for Ryu, in a pure sexual way, not love as she had promised herself. She wasn't in love. Her orgasm was building, Ryu had speed up his pace and she could feel, she could feel that she was about to explode. She moved her hips in time as the stroke and felt her body rising towards the finish…just before she went on over the edge of the universe, Ryu abruptly stopped and pulled his fingers out. Only long enough for him to take her hips in his big hands and lift her, with her legs tightly locked around him, he carried her to a section of wall by the door. He backed her up to it so she could brace herself. "Hold on…" he whispered. A long moan that went forever escaped her mouth as she felt his thickness sliding inside her. He thrust into her with such force and speed. Oh, he felt so good, she had never felt anything so good before.

She closed her eyes and let her head drop back against the wall as they were both moaning uncontrollably. "Oh, Ryu…this…feels so good, so…good." Her voice trembled under her breath. Ryu's groan was so hot to her ears. He retreated and gently placed Kasumi back on the carpet in front of the fireplace. He spread her legs wider apart. "Beautiful," He muttered. He entered her and began to move again, he was hard as a rock. Kasumi could feel everything, the pleasure of his length sliding in and out. He leaned his head closer as he miss her sweet lips. His lips then trailed to her ear, catching her earlobe between his teeth, licking it as he whispered. "Watch…" he looked deeply into her honey brown eyes as he whispered once more. "Kasumi, watch…" He brought his body back and she raised her head forward so she could watch. Her body shivered at the sight of him, so thick and hard, rope with blue veins and slick with her wetness. Thrusting in, gliding out, and sliding in again…so deep, so close, so… connected. She was rising again, every nerve in her body singing. She wrapped her arms around his neck so tightly to ready herself. He moaned low as he felt hers tightening around his, their bodies straining and covered with sweats.

The sweet contractions started, "Yes…" she moaned. "Yes, like that Ryu…just like that…"

"Kasumi…" He made her name sound like a prayer.

Within seconds, she contracted around him and he spilled into her. The beautiful intense sensation made her cried out loud, his body collapsed on top of her and buried his head on her neck. Silence surrounded the walls, the only sound were their chest panting heavily. He raised his head slightly and looked into her eyes, she stared back into his intense beautiful green eyes. She placed a soft kiss on his lips, her way of thanking him for the best night of her life. Then a smile slowly formed on the corner of their lips, they couldn't believe that they just had sex with each other. It was so good, thousand times better than what they both had expected. It appeared that they would get more out of this marriage, a great sex life.


	7. Chapter 7

The following morning, Ryu wondered about the whole situation a little but not a lot. Who knew that his best friend, the girl next door, his partner in crime and now his wife turned out to be his sexual dream girl? How did that happen? He didn't know how and hell, he didn't care. Kasumi wanted him and he damn well wanted her. It was a nice extra bonus to what was clearly the best choice he had ever made in his life, spur of the moment or otherwise.

That first evening, as daylight faded beyond the cabin windows, they took the shower together. She kissed him, with the steam rising around them. The taste of her was like no woman he had ever known. Even Irene was no match. Kasumi's lips traveled down his body. He groaned as the hot pleasure sliced through him. She was amazingly good, Ryu closed his eyes while he let his head fell back onto the shower wall and let those fingers and mouth of hers have their way with him.

Later, much later that night, they turned on the lights in the kitchen to whip up a little midnight snacks. Five minutes later, Kasumi's bra and panties were dangling off the back of kitchen chair while Ryu's boxers were on the floor. Ryu couldn't breathe at the sight of Kasumi, gorgeously naked. He turned her around and bent her towards the kitchen counter. She was open for him, so wet and ready. He took her in one easy, deep glide. He made her moan, he really liked that, hearing Kasumi moan. Soon, they both reached their peak. Kasumi cried out loud in a long moan that went forever. _Amazing_ , that was the word for her. Ryu put his boxers back on, washed their hands and made their midnight snacks. Ryu made omelet and Kasumi had toast.

Monday morning they got back home to Hayabusa village. While Kasumi unpacked, Ryu sat quietly on the bed and stared at Kasumi putting her clothes back into the closet. He was wondering about their hot incredible weekend. They weren't as careful as they should have been, given their agreement to hold off on kids for a while. But he did have condoms and they did use them, just not quite all the time.

"Okay I'm all done here. I'm going out to see Momiji for a bit, I've been curious on how things went with her and Kioshi." Said Kasumi.

Ryu slightly frown, "Kioshi?"

"Oh, a guy we ran into while you were away. Clearly those two like each other." Giggled Kasumi.

"I see…" Ryu was still frowning.

Kasumi opened the closet and bent over as she searched for her sweater. Ryu's gaze lowered, admiring the shape of her bottom. He smirked at the sight, _all his_. Minutes later Kasumi never made it out the door. A look, or a brushing touch. That was all it seemed to take with them. He would look at her and she would look at him, next thing he knew, he press his lips to hers and pull that gorgeous body close. In fact, Kasumi never made it out at all that week. The sex was too great that it became addictive for the both of them. They locked themselves inside their house whole week. There wasn't a surface they couldn't make love on. No counter or piece of furniture was too small or too uncomfortable. The sofas, the chairs, the kitchen, bathroom counters, the washer in the laundry room and the dryer too. Sunday night after they were settling into their bed, Kasumi and Ryu were surprisingly too tired to have sex. Instead, they laid in bed staring at the ceiling lost inside their own thoughts.

Kasumi sighed. "You know, we should socialize more… and by that I mean, it involve clothes and contact with the outside world."

Ryu sighed with her, "I supposed we should."

"It reminds me that the spring dance is next weekend, we're going right?" Kasumi wondered.

"Do I have any other choice?"

"Of course, you don't have to go if you don't want to."

"Okay." Ryu simply replied.

His respond annoyed her a little, "It won't bother you if I dance with other guys then?"

"Why would it bother me? I know you're mine." He kept his gaze up the ceiling.

Kasumi slightly rolled her eyes, "Right, well… I guess I'll let one of those guys know that I am available after all for that night."

Ryu quickly turned his gaze to Kasumi, "What guys?"

"Oh, I didn't I tell you? There were a couple of guys who had asked me to be their dance partner, but I declined of course since I thought that I would go with my husband." Kasumi placed a quick kiss on his lips, shifted her position facing the opposite way of Ryu, drew the blanket over her shoulder and turned the night lamp off.

"Good night Ryu."

Ryu gazed back to the ceiling in the dark. His brows drew closer together. He then turned and put his hand on Kasumi's shoulder as he whispered to her, "Kasumi I never said I didn't want to go."

Kasumi held a smug smile on her lips as her plan seemed to work, "No no …it's fine, if it's not your thing then it's not your thing."

He forcefully turned her around and laid her in his arm. "Kasumi, would you like to be my dance partner?"

Kasumi gave up. She couldn't resist his charming glowing green eyes, "I would love to," She smiled. Kissing him goodnight one more time, Kasumi soon drifted off to sleep in his arms. Ryu was still wide-awake. He sighed as he gathered her close. He stared at the moon out the window and thought that he was the luckiest man alive on the face of earth.

The following day, Kasumi thought that it was time to get out of the house. She and Momiji decided to have lunch together in the big city Tokyo.

Momiji already knew what she wanted to order. Kasumi was still looking through the menu.

"Hmm…I think I'll try something different today," Kasumi mumbled.

The waiter approached their table in a wide stretch-welcoming smile.

"Ready to order?" Asked the waiter.

Momiji nodded, "I'll have chicken sandwich with vegetable soup."

"Anything to drink?"

"Iced tea please."

The waiter then turned to Kasumi. Kasumi closed the menu and smiled, "I'll have spiced mini burgers with couscous salad and chocolate milkshake please." The waiter bowed and left.

Momiji glared at Kasumi with a faint smile on her lips. "Soo, what have you and Master Ryu been up to? Hardly saw you guys last week."

Kasumi blushed. "Not much really, hanging out and stuff. It was nice that he got some time off so we were able to spent time together."

"Nobody dared to knock on Master Ryu's door since the blinds were closed and all." Momiji was holding in a giggle as she said it.

"Come on, we had been sleeping mostly. We both were very, very tired." Kasumi raised an obvious brow.

"Sleeping…ha right!" Then they both giggled.

Kasumi tried a stern expression. "And now, we need talk about you."

"What about me?" Momiji frowned.

"I do believe that's a hickey on the side of your neck."

Momiji quickly put her hand on the spot with her eyes slightly widened. She thought that she had covered it with makeup.

Kasumi laughed, "Don't worry, it's not that noticeable."

"So, Kioshi?" Kasumi raised her brow.

Momiji nodded shyly, "We've been going out this week. I don't know what it is, but I think we are crazy about each other." Momiji sighed, "And he is such a good kisser too."

Kasumi frowned, "Crazy… Such a dangerous word."

"You know what I mean, I'm sure you feel the same way about Master Ryu." Said Momiji.

"Yep…" Kasumi smiled but she didn't mean it. "Anyways, this mean that he is your partner for the spring dance then?"

Momiji nodded, "You're going too right?"

"Wouldn't miss it for the world." Replied Kasumi.

Kasumi was suddenly smiling like a fool thinking about Ryu without realizing it. Momiji stared at her with wondering eyes.

"It's that good huh," Said Momiji.

"Uh…what?" Kasumi snapped out of it. Momiji gave her a look of the obvious. The waiter suddenly approached their table with their food. Momiji got her sandwich and Kasumi got her burgers with with a beautiful mound of French fries on the side. As they shoveled their food in, Kasumi leaned closer, "Okay. The truth is, it was incredible." She smiled. "He could just look at me and the next thing we know we're tearing all of our clothes…"

"Whoa whoa Kasumi…" Momiji stopped her from continuing.

"Uh, yes?" Kasumi had a slight confuse frown.

"I'm glad that you guys have a great you know, but I don't think I want the details on what Master Ryu does in his own free time."

Kasumi kept frowning, "So? What's so strange about that?"

"Would you want to know Hayate's sex life detail?"

"Ew No."

Momiji laughed, "Exactly. Master Ryu is like a brother to me and he is also my teacher…it's just that weird."

Kasumi giggled, "Say no more. Point taken."

Kasumi's first couple of weeks as Mrs. Hayabusa flew by in a haze of great sex. They had been a little apart from each other as Kasumi had begun to go back to doing missions with Ayane and Ryu was busy with his clan duties. Other than that, she and Ryu were together constantly. They would race home as soon as they were done with their work, lock the doors, shut all the blinds and then fall on each other like a couple of sex-starved teenagers.

The next day they agreed to eat out in the city after Ryu would be done with his shift from the antique shop. Kasumi stopped by the shop as she had gotten to the city a little earlier than the plan. The bell on top of the door made a double clinging sound as she pushed it open. Ryu looked towards the door and a smile immediately lit up his face as Kasumi was rocking her short flowery dress with a leather jacket and black ankle boots. She had dressed up a little sexy for her husband. Kasumi made her way towards the desk and Ryu leaned in to place a quick kiss on her lips.

"As soon Muramasa gets here, I'm ready to go." Said Ryu.

Kasumi nodded with a smile. Meanwhile, she walked around admiring the new antiques. Ryu's eyes were trailing down her gorgeous body. His naughty thoughts were quickly interrupt when Muramasa walked into the shop.

"Oh what a lovely surprise." Muramasa noticed Kasumi.

Kasumi bowed, "Good to see you Muramasa."

"Aren't you two a little overdressed to be in my shop?" The old man teased.

Ryu chuckled, "It's our date night."

"How's married life treating you both?"

"Wonderful." Kasumi replied. Ryu liked the warm, excited way she said it.

"Well, nothing like mad love, I always say." Muramasa smiled at the two. Kasumi giggled charmingly at Muramasa's words but irritation flashed through Ryu. _Mad love…_ Hardly, not him and Kasumi. They were smarter than that.

"Alright, don't let me keep you. Go on now, I'll take it from here." Muramasa softly told Ryu.

Ryu bowed, "See you tomorrow." Kasumi only smiled, and hand in hand, the couple made their way out to a fancy restaurant.

During dinner, Ryu couldn't concentrate on anything Kasumi was saying. He was admiring her beauty. Her smile, her voice, just everything about her. Now and then, she would pause from talking and give him that special look. He knew what she was thinking, and he was thinking it too. It was good being out together, but nowhere near as good as being home, where they could do whatever came naturally, and then do it again. It was ironic really, since he was the one that suggested going out, and already he wanted to grab his bride, throw her over his shoulder and head home, where he would waste no time getting her out of her sexy short dress she was wearing and have his way with her. She was driving him _crazy_ in a pure sexual way. Oh, the scent of her, the way the light made her honey brown hair shine, and those cherry sweet lips of hers when she smiled. He wanted to stick out his tongue and lick them, lick her, every inch of her. But they were out in public, so he had to behave himself.

The weekend of the spring dance was finally here. Kasumi had looked forward for this day as she had missed out for past few years. It was only held once a year in a small city near their villages. Many people from their neighbor clans would be there to have a good time, drinking and dancing all night long. It was a cool spring night with the stars covered the clear night sky. Kasumi and Ryu got there a little earlier. She glance around with bright eyes, observing the beautiful arrangement with golden light poured out in the open wooden dance floor, along with the local five-piece band. Kasumi was ready to feel the vibe of the music and let her body go free. Not long after, they heard someone shouting their names from the distance. Momiji and Kioshi showed up, along with his little brother Shigeru who seemed too had found a date for the night as well. They greeted each other. Shigeru's eyes glued on Kasumi and Ryu noticed. However, he didn't make much of it. With someone as beautiful as Kasumi beside him, he figured that he would have to deal with men checking her out. As long as they know she belongs to him.

While they were making friendly conversation, Kasumi's eyes suddenly widen at the sight of a purpled haired girl that was none other than her baby sister Ayane, who was accompany by a very blonde haired and blue-eyed boy. Kasumi raised her brow curiously, looking rather confused. The two made their way to the group and began introducing one another.

"Everyone this is my date and my dancing partner for the night, Eliot." Said Ayane.

Eliot bowed, but everybody glared at him strangely and it made Eliot uncomfortable. Ayane chuckled slightly, she knew what everyone was thinking.

"Uh, I know that you all are ninjas and your secret is safe with me." Eliot explained, but they all looked at him with an even more confused glare.

"And we should just trust you why?" Shigeru questioned.

Eliot burst into a soft laughter as he thought that Shigeru was making a joke. "Good one…"

Ayane jumped in, she could tell that Eliot was nervous since he was consider an outsider, "Guys, I had to work with Eliot in a mission, so he already knew that we exist."

Kasumi smiled, "So where are you from Eliot?"

"China." He quickly replied.

Ryu frowned, he gazed at Eliot up and down. "You're Chinese?"

Eliot nodded, but Ryu and Kasumi exchanged a questionable look. Ayane was actually amused, she knew that they would grill him.

Eliot felt like he needed to explain himself better, "Well, I am not originally from China obviously, I was born in England but I grew up in China as my family moved there many years ago."

"Now you're finally making sense kid." Shigeru responded.

"It is nice to meet you Eliot, don't let us scare you. Tonight is about dancing and having a good time. Said Kasumi.

"Are you all ready to hit the dance floor?" Momiji added in excitement, and they all nodded.

"Oh yeah, I have been practicing my moves. Can't wait to show them off." Shigeru replied.

Kioshi chuckled, "Just make sure you show them off far away from us," He teased and everyone burst into a soft laughter, except for Ryu. He didn't know why but he didn't like Shigeru.

Momiji looked at Ayane. "Ayane, isn't Hayate coming tonight?"

Ayane sighed, "He…had business to take care of and couldn't make it."

Kasumi knew right away that Ayane was lying by the way she responded but didn't questioned her more. It saddened her to think that she might be the reason he didn't want to be there. However, tonight she didn't want to think about her problems, she just wanted to have a good time with her friends.

The band began to play, starting the night with a ballad. Soon most of the couples entered the dancefloor with their partners. Ryu was actually glad as now he had an excuse to take Kasumi in his arms. He held out his hand to her and she gladly accepted the invitation. Kasumi put her hand in his, and the two stepped out onto the dancefloor. He pulled her to him, and they began to move. Kasumi was a good dancer and her body followed him effortlessly. Years ago on the same spring dance, when they were teenagers, he used to dance with her all the time. He knew she liked to dance, and if he noticed her sitting on the sidelines, he would always step up and offer her to be his partner so she could get out on the floor. Then, when a song was over, he would let her go with a smile and an easy, "See you later, Kasumi." Back then, he realised now he had been a damn fool who had no idea what he was missing.

Kasumi let out a low, throaty laugh. He liked the way it sounded, arousing him the way everything else about her aroused him.

"Bet I know what you're thinking" She teased.

Ryu smiled, "Oh yeah? Hit me with it."

"The old days. You and me, dancing, right here."

That was another incredible thing about her, the way she could read him, the way she so instinctively got what was going on inside him.

"Okay, admit it. You've got psychic powers." Ryu teased.

Kasumi let out another low giggle. "Well, the truth is I just happened to be thinking the same thing."

He wanted to kiss her, right there on the dancefloor. But if he kissed her, he wasn't sure he would able to stop. Instead, he drew her even closer to him. He felt her warm breath against his neck. She then rested her head on his shoulder while he guide her with his palm at her lower back.

Dancing wasn't so bad, not as good as making love to her. But then, nothing was as good as that, thought Ryu. He kept her in his arms for the next three dances. And then Shigeru cut in, asking Kasumi to dance a fast one with him.

"You don't mind do you, Hayabusa?" He smiled.

Ryu didn't respond, he minded actually but Kasumi seem like she wanted to dance with Shigeru and so Ryu let her go and stepped back from the dance floor. Ryu instead made his way towards the refreshment table to grab something to drink. He then leaned on a tree nearby watching them from the distance while sipping from his drink. Annoyed at the sight. After that, there were three fast ones. Each dance, Ryu would start toward her, but some other guy would get to her first. It was kind of funny really, how he'd miss out every time. Not that it was any big deal, during the fast dances, the partners hardly touched anyway. When the next song came, Ryu was too late again. Shigeru stepped up to Kasumi before Ryu could reach her. Now Shigeru was really starting to get on his nerve. Suddenly, someone approached him.

"Hey…I know you, you're Ryu Hayabusa right?"

Ryu turned towards the voice, and then he softly chuckled, as the person was actually a close friend of his from one of the neighbor clan that he also had been out on countless missions with.

"Mari? I didn't expect to see you here tonight." Ryu was pleasantly surprised.

"Oh well, I had nothing better to do anyways." She sighed.

"Are you here alone?" He asked.

Mari chuckled, "I wouldn't look to good showing up here alone now would I? My partner is dancing with the crowd over there." She quickly pointed.

"Congratulations by the way on the newlywed status." Mari then said.

Ryu smiled, "Thank you."

"Isn't she here with you?"

Ryu pointed towards the dance floor, "Over there…and I don't think she misses me."

Mari softly laughed, "I think my partner forgot about me too..." Mari found herself staring at Ryu. But Ryu was looking at Kasumi.

"Anyways, I was beginning to wonder if you and Kasumi would ever get together. But look at you, married at last and totally in love…"

Ryu turned to Mari and almost blurted out in a growl, _you don't get it. It's not like that._ He growled within him, it would have sounded confusing and rude if he would have said it out loud. Why should an innocent remark from Mari bother him so much? He did love Kasumi just not in a way that everyone seemed to think. He loved Kasumi, but he wasn't _in love_ with Kasumi and she wasn't in love with him. That was the beauty of what they had. They were best friends and they were partners, then there was the sex thing. Which still amazed him, as it was so good.

He composed his expression into an easy smile. "Yeah, she's really something, I'm a lucky man.

Ryu looked at Mari and put his drink down, "Dance avec moi?" He asked. Mari smiled, "Oui monsieur." Then they burst into a soft laughter thinking about their recent mission together In France. Once they got on the dance floor, the music suddenly changed from fast to slow. Ryu and Mari looked awkwardly at each other as they burst into another laugh. Ryu held out his hand to her. And why not, thought Mari.

Kasumi was about to go back to Ryu for this dance. But she suddenly caught him dancing with Mari and paused in her tracks.

"Would you like to have this dance with me?" Shigeru offered himself, noticing Kasumi staring towards Ryu and Mari. He figured he might as well since his date was dancing with other people. Kasumi smiled, "I would love to." Shigeru pulled her to him. While dancing, Kasumi couldn't help but glance at Ryu and the sight of Mari putting her arms around his neck, talking and laughing made her actually jealous. Kasumi gave it a second thought, why should she be jealous. She was dancing with Shigeru and Ryu didn't seem to mind, then why couldn't Ryu dance with other people too. It's just dancing after all. Kasumi soon shrugged it off and kept her eyes back at Shigeru.

Now and then, Ryu glanced towards Kasumi and Shigeru. It was starting to irritate him that Kasumi hardly looked at him throughout the night. He didn't like being ignored by her. He wanted to dance with his wife damn it. Shortly, Ryu lost the sight of his wife as another dancing couple had blocked his view, and then they moved on, revealed them again. The sight made him fire up, Shigeru's hand was on her lower back, a little too close to her bottom while his face was inches away from hers. He whispered something in her ear and Kasumi laugh charmingly. The same kind of laugh she would give him, not other man. Ryu's brows drew close together, getting more piss at the sight he had no control on. Something dark and dangerous slammed through Ryu, his blood spurting hot and fast through his veins. He wanted to hit something, spesifically…he wanted to hit Shigeru. He would have punched the fool's light out and not thought twice about it.

"Ryu, is everything alright?" Mari asked, noticing his intense glare towards his wife. Ryu immediately snapped out of it and turned his attention back to Mari.

"Yeah, I'm alright." He smiled.

Ryu relaxed a little. The hot flood of protective rage inside him fade down to something less disturbing. What the hell was the matter with him? Ryu had always prided himself on how he never surrendered to testosterone-driven crap like that. There was no damn sense in him acting crazy like Kasumi's older brother Hayate. This was something Hayate would've had reacted. Ryu was a reasonable man. He wasn't the cave man. Or at least, he'd never been before. Until tonight. Over Kasumi. Then the ballad was over and Mari thanked Ryu for the dance.

"Merci pour la danse magnifique." Mari bowed.

"Merci a vous aussi." Ryu bowed.

"Alright, see you around Ryu." Mari giggled.

Ryu nodded with a smile. He stared her way and sighed. Mari went back to her partner. He then turned around to find his wife. But she was already standing behind him. His face light up at her standing there looking at him with her sweet face and loving smile. Something hot and wild rose within him. Something every bit as dangerous as his raging fury of a moment before.

It hit him. Right there on the dance floor. He was _wild_ for Kasumi. He was _crazy_ for Kasumi…All he'd wanted was a happy _normal life._ And here he was, barely married a month, a marriage that was supposed to be sane and mutually supportive and completely free of all the craziness that came with romance and passionate love…The hard truth strike his heart, he had gone and fallen, head-over-heels for his wife. How could this have happened? And what in hell was he going to do about it? He had no answer to either question.

A slow song started up again. She held out her hand to him, he took it, felt the heat, the dangerous power of his desire for her. He pulled her into his arms, and she rested her head on his shoulder. They danced into the center of the crowd. Kasumi closed her eyes. She love the smell of him, his arms were the safest place to be. She couldn't ask for a better man for a husband. He kissed the top of her head as he rested his cheek to the side of it. The smell of her hair, the softness of her skin. He had always wondered how he could be this lucky. Ryu briefly opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was Shigeru looking towards them.

"Kasumi…" He softly whispered in her ear.

"Yes?"

"That Shigeru guy…"

"What about him?"

Ryu kissed her cheek as he whispered, "Stay the hell away from him." He tried to make it sound teasing, but he wasn't.

She nodded against his shoulder, "No problem."

"Ryu…"

"What is it?"

"I saw you with Mari."

"And…?"

"Stay the hell away from her." She imitated his tone from a moment before.

Ryu nuzzled the tender shape of her ear. "I could never look twice at her. Or any other woman. Because none of them is you."

She looked up looking him in the eyes. She lifted her lips and began kissing his neck, placing several soft kisses. Then trailing it slowly towards his ear and paused as she whispered, "Here comes the good part…" Kasumi pressed her lips firmly on his. He pulled her closer into him as their lips locked. This kiss felt differently to the both of them. As if, this was their first kiss. Irresistibly warm, heat sizzled through them, this kiss was more than lusting or sexual. For the first time since they've been married, the kiss was _passionate._


	8. Chapter 8

Kasumi didn't really understand how it happened or even what exactly had happened…but after the spring dance, things weren't the same with her and Ryu. Something was missing…she just couldn't quite put her finger on what. Then again, maybe it was only her imagination. After all, he still reached for her with the same urgency and hunger as he had the first time they made love. When he kissed her, when he touched her, when he moved so slow and sweet inside her…her doubts and fears would ease. She would know then that nothing was wrong, that her life had never been so right.

Then again…

But no.

She was sure it was nothing. They had a wonderful life together and everything was fine. It was Friday night, which means date night and they would eat out in the city.

"Kasumi, are you coming?" Ryu called out from the living room, since Kasumi seemed to be taking her time. Kasumi took a last glance in the bathroom mirror, "I'll be right there."

They headed to one of their favorite restaurant in the city. They just settled into their table, when someone walked in the same restaurant that made Ryu's blood boiled hot. Ryu saw Kasumi glanced towards the person and waved. Shigeru waved back, he looked surprised to see Kasumi there.

Ryu rose up from his chair, "Be right back." His voice was calm.

Too calm thought Kasumi. An absolute stillness seemed to emanate from him, a stillness with a promise of swift violence to come. She didn't feel comfortable with the way Ryu said it. She reached to him to try to stop him, "Ryu…" but it was too late. She watched her husband march up right to Shigeru, and whisper into his ear. Seconds later, Shigeru stiffened and staggered back, though Ryu hadn't so much as touched him. The door flung open wide and Shigeru got the heck out of there. Ryu then rejoined Kasumi at their table.

She stared at him with wide-eyed.

He growled, "What?"

Kasumi gulped. "Um, nothing…" Who was this person sitting across from her? Surely not the levelheaded easygoing man she had married. She then grabbed the menu and studied it for all she was worth.

"Kasumi…"

She shifted behind her menu, but she didn't put it down. "Hmm?"

"Look at me." He command.

She lowered her menu and peeked at him over the top of it.

His gaze locked on hers, "Put the menu down." This time his voice hinted annoyance.

"Fine." She put the menu away.

"What's the matter? You seem upset." Ryu asked.

"That was so rude Ryu."

"What was?"

Kasumi gave him a "Are you serious" look. But Ryu didn't seem to get it.

"I thought you were going to hit him…"

"But I didn't."

"What awful thing did you say to him?"

"Get lost."

"That's all?"

"That's all."

"You really scared him…"

"I intended to scare him."

"You just…um..." She didn't know how to go on, and there seemed no real point in going on. It all led back to the strange changes in him lately, the changes he flatly denied every time she dared to try to talk about them. He didn't encourage her to continue, to finish what she'd started to say. Several seconds ticked by. Kasumi thought how the silence between them didn't feel as comfortable as it had in the past. She tried again, changing the subject.

"I've been thinking…"

"About?"

"Well, I've thought about it and I think I should visit home and try to make things right with Hayate. This long silence between us needs to stop."

"He asked for it. It was his own fault." Ryu coldly replied.

"Come on Ryu, Hayate had a point even though he was going about it in a not so nice way. But he was right about some of it. He had the right to be mad at me."

"He doesn't care about your feelings, why do you care about his?"

"Because he is my brother, and I want him to know that I support him. I want him and I to be close again like we used to."

Ryu sighed, "How many times have we been through this? Don't you see, Hayate is waiting for this marriage to fail so he could rubbed his ego on us, and he doesn't care about fixing anything between the two of you. He just wants to be right."

"Wow Ryu, that's harsh."

"It's called reality. We all have to live with it."

"But I'm not going to sit and do nothing, I have to at least try." Kasumi quickly replied.

"Go ahead. Talk to Hayate if you want to."

"I will."

"It's pointless. But go right ahead."

Ryu was getting on Kasumi's nerve, she gave him an annoy glare…

He frowned at her, "What?"

Ryu sighed since Kasumi didn't move her glare off him, he prodded again. "What?"

She truly didn't get his attitude. What had she said? She wanted to snap at him, to tell him to stop being a condescending jerk. But she doubt that would help, and that they would probably end up arguing. Instead, she kept her tone level and reasonable.

"Is there something…wrong? Something I'm doing that's bothering you? Something about me that you really don't like?"

"No." He simply said, to all three questions.

She waited for him to ask why, when he didn't, she continued anyway. "You're just…different, as if something's eating at you, are you sure there's nothing?"

Ryu kept his gaze on the table, "I'm fine…there's nothing wrong with me."

Kasumi didn't buy it, the way he answered was strange to her. But she didn't want to be a nag so she stopped asking.

"We should order," He then said.

Ryu signaled the waiter. They ordered. The food came. They ate. Then they went home and made beautiful love together.

Late that night, Kasumi lay awake beside her sleeping husband and told herself that things between them weren't slowly going terribly wrong. She really needed someone to talk to about this, since Ryu wouldn't talk to her, she would have to find someone else she could trust to confide in…

Since Momiji was away on a mission, Kasumi went to her second choice for advice or third…

"Fear of intimacy." Said Ayane.

Kasumi frowned at her. Ayane figured that Kasumi wouldn't get it, so she set down her sandwich and explained more. "I read a long article about it in a magazine once, about men who are afraid to get close."

"That doesn't make sense though, not in Ryu's case. I hardly think he is afraid to get close to me, I mean we are very close, too close in fact."

Kasumi frowned at Ayane again. Her baby sister seems strangely hungry today. Ayane pulled a loose piece of bacon out the side of her sandwich and popped it into her mouth. While chewing Ayane replied. "Well, then we go to problem B."

"And that is?"

"Daddy issues."

Kasumi rolled her eyes, what did she expect when she asked a seventeen year old for marriage advice. At least she get to spent a little time with her sister. Kasumi chuckled at the sight of Ayane moving on from the sandwich to her burger.

"You're awfully hungry today sis…"

With her mouthful Ayane replied, "I'm starving…I just got home from a mission when you called. Hayate is killing me with mission after mission. I think he is punishing me for something you did. I swear he is getting weirder nowadays, did you know that…"

"Ayane, can we please come back to my problems?"

"Huh, right… So um, what were we talking about again? You have so many issues, I can't keep up."

Kasumi shook her head, _oh dear god…_

Ayane stared at her plate briefly. "Right, daddy issues."

She might regret asking but Kasumi asked anyway, "What do you mean by daddy issues? Ryu and his father looked fine to me."

"Sure on the outside, but deep down he is just a scared little boy who is afraid to love." Ayane said while sipping from her milkshake.

"Okay, now you got me a little interested…" Replied Kasumi.

"From what we know, he was abandoned by his mother, and he saw a lot of abuse from his father growing up right. So, you know, I don't think Ryu knows what love is or how to love."

"Okay now you lost me again… he is not like his father and he doesn't abuse me, so how does any of these have to do with our marriage?" Kasumi kept on frowning.

"Seriously Kasumi, are you always this slow? My point is, Ryu may know how to be a great friend but he doesn't know how to be a husband. That's where the fear kick in, hence why we are back to the problem A. Fear of intimacy."

"So…you're saying that…oh god I'm so confuse." Kasumi shook her head.

"Hey I'm not a shrink, if you don't want my opinions then don't ask for it." Ayane firmly replied. "Are you going to eat that?"

Kasumi shove her plate to Ayane. "Here, I'm not hungry anyway…"

Ayane grabbed Kasumi's sandwich and ate it, "Look…if things bother you this much, why don't you ask Ryu what's really wrong? I thought you guys always tell each other stuff."

"I have asked and sometimes I caught him stare at me and I ask him what he was thinking and he always say something like, nothing…not a damn thing…or I'm just thinking of how gorgeous you are, and then his face go blank staring in the air." She imitated the way he would say things and it made Ayane laugh.

"Could it also be that you worry too much? Give him a little time and space maybe he will open up about whatever it is that's bugging him when he is ready."

Kasumi let out a sigh, "You're right…I guess I can give him a little space."

Ayane smiled but suddenly she spilled the sauce on her shirt, "Crap…" Kasumi laughed and they spent another few hours together since Kasumi had other plan for that day. After lunch with Ayane, she stopped by Kioshi's shop in the city where Momiji had told her hoping to find Shigeru there too. Kasumi walked inside the shop and Shigerus's eyes grew large.

"Kasumi…What are you doing here?"

"I come to see you," She replied. "I didn't mean to interrupt while you are working, but I was hoping that you might have a few minutes to talk?"

"Of course, what is this about?" He wondered.

"I wanted to apologize for yesterday…for my husband's behavior."

Shigeru grabbed the back of his neck feeling a little awkward about the incident, "He is a scary guy I tell you that…but hey, don't worry about it. I figured that if a man would go such length to protect his woman then he must have been very in love with you. No harm done, it's a male kind of thing."

"Still, he doesn't have the right to behave like that. He gets a little overprotective over me sometimes and I don't know what drove him to do what he did."

Shigeru shrugged lightly, "It could be that I dance with you too many times, I mean you saw my moves…any man would be intimidated by having their girl around me." He smile charmingly.

Kasumi laughed, "That must be it." She teased.

Awkward silence fell between them while their gazes locked.

"Right…Well, I should let you get back to work. See you around Shigeru." She turned around and left.

"Take care Kasumi." He stared her way until she disappeared.

Another week had gone by. Things still hadn't improved much between her and Ryu, they still didn't talk the way they used to. The worst part was that they hadn't even made love for a week. She reason with her herself that Ryu had been working excessively much and that he was too tired but now he didn't even kiss her goodnight. She suddenly heard Ryu closing the front door, she pretended to read her book and hoping tonight things would be different, she was hoping for a kiss at least so she could tell herself once more that nothing was wrong with them.

Ryu walked in, took off his clothes and headed to the bathroom. Kasumi deeply sighed, as it was torture. He didn't even look at her. Soon, Ryu came back out of the bathroom, she quickly lifted her book and pretended to be reading again. For a quick second, she caught him look at her. He then walked to his side of the bed and got in it. She dared herself and reached out to him, whispering his name. He turned to her and she lifted her lips to him. Ryu responded and the kiss was achingly sweet but he pulled away too soon.

"Good night..." He said and rolled so he was facing the opposite way from her and tugged the covers up over his shoulders.

"Good night," She softly said to his back. She wanted to reach out for him again, to slip her arms around, and rub her body against him. But she restrained herself. Afraid of being rejected…it shouldn't be like this. This wasn't them, something was definitely wrong. She had never had to work too hard to get his attention until now. She had never felt this insecure around Ryu before, and what the hell happened in the last couple of weeks that made Ryu changed so much. Was it her? It was as if he was keeping a secret and she had no answer to any of her questions. He wouldn't give her any answer either. She was getting a headache, closing the book Kasumi turned off the lights and forced herself to sleep.

The following morning, Kasumi decided to visit Mugen Tenshin and to spent time with her family. She hadn't been there ever since the argument with Hayate, but after weeks without speaking she felt like she needed to try something. Though Ryu disagree, this wasn't his call. Once she arrived, she went to see her mother first. She doubted that Hayate was available in the morning now that he is the leader of the clan. He was probably as busy as Ryu. Nobody was answering the door, she knocked a few more times.

"Coming coming…" A voice from inside answered.

Ayane opened the door and frowned at her sister. "Kasumi, what are you doing here? Wait I didn't forget to meet you somewhere did I? I've got so much to do today…"

"Ayane relax, I just came to visit."

"Oh okay." Then suddenly someone was crying in the background. "Crap…" Ayane quickly ran towards the sound. Kasumi had a deep frown on her face and led herself in to look at who it was.

"Don't cry pretty face, I got you…" Ayane was rocking the baby in her arms to try to calm her down.

"Um, who is that?"

"This is Harumi, I'm babysitting her today." Replied Ayane.

"Who are you babysitting the baby for?" Kasumi wondered while she followed Ayane to the kitchen to make the bottle for the baby.

"Hayate."

Kasumi paused in her tracks, "Are you serious… That's Hayate's baby?" her jaw dropped too.

"Oh, I forgot to tell you? She's been here almost a week."

"I don't feel left out at all, thanks." Kasumi shook her head.

"Do you want to hold her? I can't do this with one hand, if I lay her down she will cry again." Said Ayane.

"Uh, sure…"

Ayane handed the baby, and Harumi smiled at Kasumi. "She likes you."

"My heart just melt, she's so adorable."

However, Kasumi was still confused on why the baby was there, and was Hitomi there too? She clearly had missed a lot on what had been going on in her home village.

"Ayane…how come the baby is here? And where's Hitomi?"

"Germany somewhere. She's in the process of moving to Tokyo, something about her going to school here. That way Hayate can also see his kid without going too far. She will be here in a few days."

Kasumi frowned, "So mother and father are okay with this?"

"Yeah, seemed like they came around about it somehow. I think Harumi charmed the heck out of them."

"That's nice to hear, I'm happy for Hayate." Kasumi smiled. Harumi began crying again and Kasumi panicked, "What do I do, what do I do?"

Ayane laughed. "Try rocking her for a bit, seemed to help when I do it."

So she did and it worked. Ayane observed while making the bottle as Kasumi seemed to be enjoying it. "You're natural, you and Ryu are not planning on having one anytime soon?"

"I…don't think so. We agreed to wait a few years."

Kasumi gave Harumi back to Ayane and she observe with a smile since Ayane seemed to be good with the baby. She placed Harumi in her lap and began feeding her. "She seems attached to you, I didn't expect you to be good with a baby. I'm impressed." Said Kasumi.

"We bonded…she is family after all. I have fun taking care of her, she's such a good baby. And…I also kind of feel bad now."

Kasumi frowned, "Bad about?"

"You know, I called her mother…a…" Ayane leaned forward slightly and whispered as low as possible, "Bimbo…"

Kasumi laughed as she shook her head. "Well now you can stop doing that and like you said, they are family now."

Ayane nodded. "True, I will try to be nicer to Hitomi when I see her this weekend over the barbeque family gathering."

"Wait, what?"

"Oh, did I forget to tell you? A welcome party Hayate arranged so that everyone can meet Hitomi. Just the closest family invited."

Kasumi sighed, as she felt sad within her since Hayate hadn't invited her. Now she was slightly losing hope with making things right with Hayate, he seemed determined to distance himself from her. She changed her mind about talking to him, and Ryu was right again. Hayate doesn't care. It was beginning to feel like a punishment.

"Are you okay?" Ayane asked noticing Kasumi glaring at the floor.

Kasumi nodded. "Yeah I'm fine…I have to go."

"But you just got here, stay until dinner at least." Ayane suggested but Kasumi didn't feel like it.

"Wish I could sis, but anyway… say hi to Hitomi and everyone for me."

Ayane felt a little bad for her big sister. Clearly, a lot had been bothering her lately.

Kasumi was about to leave when the sound of the front door being open caught both of their attention. Footsteps approached the kitchen, "Ayane?" Hayate walked into the kitchen but paused at the sight of Kasumi. He quickly moved his gaze away and walked over to Ayane to check on Harumi.

"Why are you here this hour? I thought you are working." Ayane frowned.

"I took a small break to check on my baby girl. So how is she doing?" He smiled and held her hands.

"She has been crying a lot, I can't even step two feet away from her." Ayane explained.

In a soft voice, Hayate replied. "She misses her mother, this is the longest she's been apart from Hitomi."

Kasumi found herself smiling at how different Hayate seemed to be around his baby. So calm and happy. Suddenly she felt a little silly standing there, and she didn't quite know what to do or say. So she continued with her plan to leave and leave them alone.

"Kasumi…" Hayate called after her making Kasumi paused in her steps. She turned to him but said nothing. Ayane noticed the tension and decided to leave them alone. "I think it's Harumi's naptime." She got up and left the kitchen.

"What is it?" Kasumi wondered.

"H-how you've been?" Hayate asked.

She was a little confused, "I'm fine…you?"

"Good."

An awkward silence fell between them. Hayate stared at his sister and got a little closer to her, "I'm sorry with how I behaved towards you, I was angry." He began, "I don't like seeing you get hurt and I was angry with you for allowing it."

She was getting a little emotional but relieved at the same time, as she hated how things had become between them. "I'm angry with myself too you know…but I can't keep beating myself up over it. It's done and I am trying to make it up with all of you."

"I just want you to be happy Kasumi, and I don't want you to feel that you don't have a soft spot to fall on when things go bad in life. I will always be here for you, we all will."

"I know…and that's why I won't take my family for granted again."

"I still don't trust Ryu though but I think that you're smart enough to handle him. For his sake, I do hope he treats you right or I'll beat the crap out of him, that's a promise." He firmly told her.

Kasumi couldn't help but smile as she was glad to have her brother back. "So we're good?"

"We're good," Hayate replied and wrapped his arms around Kasumi. She gladly responded and hugged him tightly. "Thanks Hayate."

"I have to get back to work," Hayate then said as he released the hug. Before he went out of the kitchen, he turned back around to face her. "If you're not busy this weekend, it would be nice if you could come to Hitomi's welcome party. Bring Ryu if he wants to come too."

"I would love to, thanks for the invite." Kasumi smiled. Hayate nodded and left. Kasumi decided to stick around for the rest of the day and spent time with her niece.

That night Kasumi came home late. Once she got to the bedroom, Ryu was already in bed but he was reading. He was reading her book. Kasumi paused and leaned by the door looking at him.

Ryu didn't take his eyes of the book. "I was beginning to worry…"

"I went to visit my family and forgot the time." Kasumi interrupted him. "Why are you reading my book?"

"It was lying there, and I was bored."

Usually she couldn't wait to tell him about her day, especially when the day turned out to be a positive one. To tell him that she got to meet her niece and things was okay again with Hayate and then asked about his how his day had been. Now she didn't feel like telling him anything. It made her kind of sad that the thought even occurred to her. She waited for him to ask about her day so she could once again tell her herself that everything was fine between them. But he didn't.

"I talked to Hayate today…"

"And?"

"He invited us to a family gathering this weekend." She continued.

"Okay."

Kasumi sighed. She didn't want to bother with him and his cold attitude, she just want to go to bed before Ryu ruin this day for her.

"Whatever Ryu." Irritated she went to the bathroom.

"What? I said I'll go…"

Kasumi slammed the bathroom door behind her. Ryu let out a frustrated breath, then he closed the book and stare in the air.

Ryu and Kasumi arrived at the Mugen Tenshin, and by the time they got there, it seemed like Shiden already had the grill going as the delicious aromas of grilling sausage and chicken filled the air. A few family members on her mother's side were there too. A large picnic table were set in the middle of their backyard. They were the last one to get there. Everyone looked their way and greeted each other. Kasumi had already met Hitomi from the Dead or Alive tournament a few years back so it wasn't their first meeting. Hayate went ahead and gave Kasumi a hug but he ignored Ryu. Not even a glance were exchange between them.

Kasumi couldn't figure what the deal was between Ryu and Hayate, they never quite liked each other for a while now. She wasn't sure she wanted to know either, she got enough problems with Ryu as it is lately. One problem at the time she thought. Kasumi then gave Hitomi a hug.

"Welcome Hitomi, nice to see you again." She said.

"Thank you, and you too." Hitomi replied with a smile. Suddenly they turned around at the same time looking at Hayate and Ayane. He was telling Ayane that Harumi couldn't eat potato chips yet since Ayane tried to give it to her. The girls softly laughed.

"I think Ayane really enjoy being an aunt."

"Yeah, I'm glad Harumi gets to meet all of you, and you have a wonderful family. I feel so welcome already."

Ayane approached the two of them. "Hayate is so bossy." She muttered.

"He's always bossy, I'm surprise that you're surprised." Kasumi teased.

"He is great with her, she is a daddy's girl for sure." Hitomi soon replied while glancing towards Hayate.

"So you guys like hooked up after the tournament or something? You kept it a secret for a while." Ayane bluntly asked.

Hitomi felt a little shy. "Pretty much…the pregnancy wasn't planned but when I found out that we were having a baby I thought Hayate would leave. I'm surprised he stepped up all the way."

Ayane smiled. "He's a weirdo at times but Hayate is a good guy and I have to say, that baby looks nothing like you. She got most of our family traits."

"If I could get a penny every time someone mentions that, even my friends thought so too. I mean it's not fair, I was the one who carried her for nine months, and I should at least get some credit right?" Hitomi sighed.

Kasumi couldn't help but laughed at the both of them, she found the conversation funny. Looked like Hitomi would fit in just fine with her family.

"So Hitomi, how does your father feel about you moving here? It's such a big step." Kasumi asked.

"It took a lot of convincing, but my mother was from Japan and I have her side of the family here too. I guess that helped him ease his mind a little. We would come back to Germany during the holidays and he would come here to visit me too. It works out in the end." Hitomi smiled as she explained.

While Ayane and Hitomi kept on talking, Kasumi glanced towards Ryu for a brief moment. He seemed to distance himself, usually he would mingle and talked with people. She couldn't stand seeing him like this, like he was suffering. Why couldn't he just talk to her about what it is that was bothering him? Her patient was running down, she hates being to confrontational but she couldn't go on like this. She was so lost inside her thoughts she hadn't realised Hitomi and Ayane had disappeared from her side. They went back to Hayate and the baby. A faint smile lit up her face as she observed the beautiful sight of her family. Then Ryu made his way towards her. She instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck, he responded and pulled her closer into him and placed a quick kiss on her cheek. They hadn't been affectionate in awhile, that was nice she thought.

"Are you okay? You don't look like you want to be here…" She whispered.

"I do, I'm just…"

 _Please talk to me Ryu…_ she waited for him to open up to her. But he didn't continue. Instead he pulled away, much to her disappointment. They gazed towards Hayate and Hitomi. They had their arms wrapped around each other and laughing happily.

"They truly look like a family, and very in love." Said Kasumi.

Ryu looked at her sideway her eyes met his. Then he turned his gaze back to Hayate as he responded, "Good for them."

So cold she thought, Ryu left and went back to the table and helped Shiden served the food. Irritation flashed through Kasumi. This was not working, being patient and let him be was not working. A strange feeling hit her stomach and heart as she gazed towards Ryu. A feeling she had being avoiding. Now as she looked towards Hayate and Hitomi seeing how in love they are, Kasumi knew then, at that moment, she finally recognized her sadness, the sadness of loving when loving wasn't enough.

 _Love…_

 _I'm in love with my husband. I'm in love with Ryu…_

 _In love…_

She couldn't deny it anymore, she was crazy, madly, wildly, deeply in love with Ryu.

The rest of the evening went with neither of them talking much besides from giving each other awkward glances during dinner.

Days passed and things were getting worse. Every time he came home for dinner, they didn't talk about anything. Ryu would eat super-fast and clean his plate in record time then leave. If she was lucky, she might get a kiss on the cheek before he leave. She couldn't hold the feelings in anymore, it was starting to drive her crazy to keep a secret like that. Kasumi wanted to tell Ryu so badly that she was in love with him. A few times, she tried to, but her courage deserted her each time. The more she thought about it the scarier it began to feel that they could go on like this. Not really talking, not showing affection and not even making love to each other anymore. She was desperate.

One afternoon, she invited Momiji for tea while Ryu was a way on his duty. Kasumi was pacing back and forth making Momiji nervous looking at her. She put the teacup down.

"Kasumi, you're making me nervous…is something wrong?"

"It's Ryu…" she said.

"Well, of course it is." Momiji frowned.

"Momiji, I love him, I love him so much. I'm crazy in love with my husband." She looked at Momiji with a terrifying expression.

"You poor thing. Of course you are Kasumi, now tell me something new."

Kasumi figured that Momiji wouldn't get it, after a brief of explanation Momiji had a surprised look on her face.

"So you are telling me that you married as friends and now you are in love with him…and that is a terrible thing? Call me crazy but that doesn't make sense at all." Said Momiji.

"So why? I mean why did you guys decided to get married at all if you want to just stay friends? Then just stay friends…?"

"Because we got along so well…we are so comfortable with each other. We could talk for hours and hours and say anything to each other. We're each other's best friend."

Momiji was a little confused. "Okay, I go along for the sake of the argument. You said that the sex was…"

Kasumi finished the sentence for her, "Incredible, fabulous, the best I've ever had."

"I'm sorry Kasumi, I don't see a problem here."

Kasumi sighed. "The problem is, everything stopped. For weeks now everything just stopped, he hardly even looks at me. Perhaps he noticed that I have romantic feelings for him. He made it clear that he didn't want any of that, we had a plan."

"And what about the amazing sex?"

"Yeah. Pouf. Gone." Kasumi sighed deeply.

"But…why?"

"Oh, Momiji. I just don't know…" Kasumi lowered herself on a chair and sat down defeated.

"Hmm…since you and Master Ryu have your own logics, I guess you guys are in trouble. Look, you need to talk to him."

"Believe me, I tried."

"Be more clear Kasumi, let him know that you're in love and let things take their natural course from there. I think that's the only way you will have the answer to your worries." Momiji advised.

"I'm scared though, I don't want to lose him."

Momiji wished she could say more to comfort her but there wasn't much else she could have said.

Kasumi sat by the porch to their backyard and stared at the moon above, waiting for Ryu to get home. She had decided to confront him and to confess her feelings to him. For hours, she practiced on how to tell him, how she should start the conversation. Because this was no longer something, she could hide or avoid. It was a chilly night, the night breeze found its way under the sweater making her shiver. Her heart jumped out of her chest at the sound of the front door closed. She didn't move where she sat and kept staring at the sky. Ryu seem to be looking for her, then footsteps approached closer to her and he paused.

"You're awake?" He said in a low whispering voice. That is how Ryu usually talks, even when he is angry he would still talk in a calm manner. She had known him for so long she could tell the difference tone he would use to describe his emotions. To some people, they might mistaking his calmness for lacking of emotions.

Turning her head slightly and looked him sideway, she replied. "Yeah…I was waiting for you."

"You didn't have to wait."

"This time I do, I have something to tell you and it cannot wait." Kasumi kept her tone low and calm.

"What is it?" He stood behind her waiting for what she had to say.

Kasumi let out a deep breath, the room was dark and only light that were on was the few candles she had lit and the moonlight that shone in so brightly. She slowly got back up to her feet and turned around to look at him.

"Please sit down, I really have to talk to you."

Ryu knew that he had no choice. He could see it in her eyes, she wasn't putting up with him anymore. They were having a "talk" and they were having it now. Yeah he fully realised that he had been avoiding any "talks" lately. He just didn't see a point, as far as he was concerned, the problem wasn't anything talking would solve. He was after all living his worst nightmare. It had been a torture. Morning, noon and night, she was all he could think about. He adored her, he was terrified of losing her. Sometimes he wondered about Rig Donovan, the rotten S.O.B who had messed her up. Was she still in love with that bastard? Was he just second best? She had promised him that she was over that guy. Still, he wondered. He despised himself for wondering, he hated that it mattered so damn much. What he felt for Kasumi now was hotter, wilder, more extreme even than the way he had felt for Irene.

Time…he kept telling himself. Time would take care of it, time would ease these hunger over her. He was after all a ninja. He understood the biological imperatives. He was train to not surrender to the temptations of sexual nature. To control the Mother Nature sexual arousal towards the opposite sex. The studies he read predicted that wild sexual attractions, the "honeymoon glow" would fade into something milder, more reasonable, within four months to a year. All he had to do was wait this agony out. He would then be free of this constant needing by December the latest since they are now still in the month of May. Then finally, he and Kasumi would settle into a comfortable life free of the emotional extreme.

"Ryu?"

He pushed away the depressing thoughts and turned his attention back to her. "Yeah?"

"Please…" She gestured towards a chair nearby.

Ryu did as she wish and sat down. He wanted to run away or make excuses to leave, he didn't want to talk, he didn't need to talk. But Kasumi did. She then marched over closer to him.

"I'm…" She gulped.

"What is it Kasumi?" He roughly asked her, he knew he sounded hostile as hell but she was making him nervous.

Suddenly he wondered if this was more than about they didn't "talk" anymore. Something worse, something unbearable….was she leaving him? Yes that must be it, he was certain that she was leaving him. His gut tightened into a knot, his chest felt so heavy. _Damn it to hell…anything, please anything but that._

Kasumi began. "Um, Ryu I'm sorry if this upsets you. I know that this is not what we planned, not what we agreed on, but…"

He could hardly get air but somehow he blurt, "Kasumi, Oh god don't say it."

"I have to, I must…"

He half rose from the chair, "No…"

"I'm in love with you, crazy in love and I know that's not what you want from me, but I can't help it, It's true."

It took maybe five seconds for her words to sink in, his jaw slightly dropped while he stared at her. "You, uh, what?"

Looking at his shock face, kasumi repeated herself. "In love with you, I'm deeply, madly in love with you Ryu. It wasn't the part of the plan but I really am."

So, she wasn't leaving him after all. She was telling him she was in love with him… _She is in love with me._ Okay he could live with that. He hated to think that she suffered just as much as he was suffering but at least she wasn't leaving him. If they were lucky, they would still be together when all this passion crap ran its course.

Ryu suddenly smiled, faintly but definitely a warm smile. It warmed her heart, this was going well after all. She knew he would understood, Ryu had always understood.

"It's okay." He said. "I'm in love with you, too."

Kasumi stared at him wide-eyed, "W-what? But…you hardly talk to me anymore." She was confused.

He shrugged, "This state I'm in…it's not real conducive to friendly conversation."

She backed up until her legs meet the chair behind her and lowered herself into it. "You're in love with me…and that makes it hard to talk to me?"

Ryu didn't understand why it was so hard for her to understand. "Kasumi. When I'm around you, all I want to do is rip your clothes off and get inside you. And since I'm around you most of the time, my life is pretty much a living hell."

Kasumi wasn't sure whether to smile or frown. "I see… a living hell huh."

"But in the last couple of weeks, you hardly get near me. We haven't made love, you don't even kiss me…"

So okay. He had been over exercising and focusing on his trainings, to restrain and trying to prove to himself that he could go by without boinking his wife every five minutes.

"I keep trying to tell myself that there are other things in life than sex. The only problem is lately, I just don't give a good damn about any of them."

Kasumi was put out by his words, "Well Ryu…this is simple to me. I mean the way I see it we are married, we love each other, you want me, I want you and we should be doing… what comes naturally."

Erotic images flashed through his brain all-involving her naked, that's what comes naturally meant to Ryu. He only stared at her, looking rather confused and he didn't know what to say. A long silence surrounded the walls. Sadness strike her chest, she wasn't expecting this. Maybe Ayane was right after all, he was terrified of loving.

She rose up from her chair and got closer to him, "Please. Ryu don't close yourself off from me…kiss me, make love to me, I've…well I've missed you so much."

Ryu kept on staring at Kasumi, she made him so weak…all the blood seem to pool in his groin. His heart beating faster, needing her. He wanted her. He watched her, moving his gaze to her breasts and down to her thigh. She read his mind and she didn't care, desperate to feel any kind of affection from him. She would do anything that he wants. He kept himself from reaching for her. Instead, he commanded her in a voice rough with arousal.

"Take it all off."

She did and fast, taking everything off her until she stood fully naked in front of him. She was heartbreakingly beautiful. He would have promised her anything at that moment, the moon, and the stars, just to be able to touch her. He placed himself even closer to her, placing his big hands on her back and pulled her tighter into him. He breathed in the fresh scent of her, no woman had ever smelled so fine. Their lips met and they spent the rest of the night in each other's arms making love until they were too tired to go on.


	9. Chapter 9

The following morning, Ryu woke up before Kasumi did. He stared at her beautiful sleeping face. He wanted to have her again. This whole keeping away from her wasn't working for him, every time he had her, he only wanted her more. He watched her, admiring her irresistible lips, moving his gaze lower to her achingly round breasts and those breasts taunted him. He needed to touch her, all over, every womanly inch of her. He rolled over and began kissing her lips, softly. Then his lips moved on to her neck. Kasumi woke up with a smile forming on the corner of her lips. She liked what he was doing. She loved it when he would wake her up that way. Last night wasn't enough. She craved more of his special attention.

"Good morning," He whispered while he nuzzled her neck and ear.

"Good morning," She responded. "Kiss me."

He gladly did, pressing his lips firmly on hers. He looked at her with a hunger and her skin was so silky, her breasts so full and tempting, her nipples puckered, ready for his mouth. He was so hard it hurt.

Her lips parted and their eyes met.

"I want…for us to be okay, you know? To work it out. When we got married, the last thing I ever would have imagined was that there could be distance between us. But now…"

He interrupted her. "We will, We'll be okay…I love you Kasumi."

"I don't know. You say you love me, but you don't seem that happy about it."

Ryu slightly frowned at her. Hadn't they talked enough for now? It damn well seemed like it to him. His lips covered hers once again and Kasumi didn't argue. His hands roamed her body, admiring her curves, rubbing his hardness against her, letting her feel what she did to him. Kasumi let out a tiny cry. Ryu knew how to make her beg for more. His big hands went under her back, pulling her on top of him then gently pushing her down. Kasumi wiggled herself lower until she reached his erection. Her fingers closed around him. Ryu gasped and whispered her name. He thought he would go over the edge right then and there, though all she had done was touch him. And when she took him in her mouth, he knew he was done for, yet somehow he held on. He didn't lose it. He pushed his body forward without interrupting what she was doing to him. He then put his hand on her silky hair, clutching her head, watching her naughty tongue rubbing, teasing, all along the length of him. Amazed at the sight of her soft mouth, stretched around him, so hot and wet.

"I can't," He groaned. "I won't last…"

She peeked at him with a seductive smile. "Oh yeah. You can hold on, and you will…" she bent her head and with a low moan, she claimed him again. He let out a groan so loud it was close to a shout. Kasumi kept on working that mouth of hers up and down his shaft. It became too much, he was close to losing it.

"No…not yet. Come up here." He hardly knew how he got the words out. She did, but Kasumi pushed him back onto the bed. He went down willingly. She smirked at him that said she was in charge. Kasumi then spread her thighs and lowered her body onto him, taking him deep inside her by slow unbearable degrees.

Looking at his woman above him, all the frustrations, the disappointment he had been feeling lately, all disappeared. He never felt so good. It was so right. No woman had ever made him feel the way Kasumi made him feel. She was made for him, had always been. Though he had never known it for all those years…

"Oh…Ryu…it's happening…" Her moan were getting louder, and he felt it too. Felt her tightening around him as she reached her peak. Her sleek inner muscles contracting around him. His climax caught fire from hers, rolling through him like a ball of flames. She cried out loud and collapsed on top on him. Kasumi nuzzled Ryu's neck. He made a low, rough oh-so masculine sound that send chills through her. Ryu wrapped his arms tight around Kasumi and he emptied himself into her.

Yeah. It was good. For the moment, he felt sweet and easy.

For the moment, he felt at peace…

Even though they were being affectionate again after their last talk, Kasumi couldn't help but feel that something was still missing. Their relationship had turned to be pure sexual. In the beginning, they would do many things together and they could talked about anything and everything for hours. The sex was just a bonus then, and now the only time she feel connected to him was when they make love. Other than that, Ryu pretty much keep it to himself. She didn't dare to bring it up again. It was truly sad she thought how she couldn't feel safe enough to talk to him about how she feels anymore. Ryu made it clear that he needed time, time would fix them and then they could go back to how it used to be. But she didn't need time, she was fine. It didn't bother her that she was in love with him but he didn't seem to get that. Why couldn't he just accept his feelings? What was so horrible about being in love with her?

Ryu had a day off from his duty, but he didn't seem like he wanted to do much besides from sitting on a couch in their living room staring at the wall and getting lost inside his thoughts. If being in love with her was such a suffering experience then she will leave him alone. Plus, she had other plans for that day. Kasumi looked for her blue ribbon to tie her hair with that she had forgotten where she put it last.

"Ryu, have you seen my blue ribbon?" She shouted from the bathroom.

"No."

Sighing, Kasumi kept on looking and she found it inside the cabinet. She tied her hair in a ponytail and then put some makeup on to get ready to go out. She had invited Momiji and Ayane to a concert in Tokyo since she got three VIP passes. She needed a night out after a long week with missions and dealing with Ryu lately hadn't been easy on her either. Kasumi looked at herself in the mirror one last time, and then frowned when she looked down at her dress. The dress was perhaps a little short, but as long as she didn't bend over then it shouldn't be a problem. She had purchased it a while ago but hadn't had a chance to show it off as nothing fancy was happening. The top of the dress were see through, the rest of the dress covered with flowery pinkish prints. The entire back was bare. To match the above color of her dress, she put on see-through stockings. Since they would be standing a lot, she went for dark brown ankle booties for the footwear. Satisfied with how she look, Kasumi made her way out to the living room.

She would be home late, so Kasumi was looking for the house key, as she didn't want to wake Ryu up when she comes back. Now she had forgotten where she had put her key. Kasumi shook her head at how clumsy she had been with her belongings lately. Ryu glanced at her from across the room. His eyes trailed up and down her sexy figure. He frowned at her dress since it was too revealing and too short. Kasumi bent slightly and he could see her black panties. Unless she was wearing it for him, he wasn't sure he liked it.

"Going somewhere?" Ryu asked.

"Yeah. I'm going out with Momiji and Ayane to a concert." She found the key and then made her way over to Ryu.

"I told you about it a few days ago, but I guess you didn't hear me."

Ryu didn't seem to hear her now either and his eyes studied her outfit. He didn't like the thought of guys checking her out, and with that dress, Kasumi was asking for attention. He wanted to tell her to go change. But there was no point because he had no energy to get into an argument with her.

"Have fun." His voice was flat, as if he didn't really care.

Kasumi sighed and headed out the door. Before closing the door, she looked at him one more time. Kasumi wished she could help Ryu ease his pain, but how when according to him she was the one causing him pain.

Kasumi met up with Momiji by the gate and then they headed to Mugen Tenshin to get Ayane so they could all go together. Once they got there, the gate was slowly opened by two shinobi guards. Ayane emerged. Momiji's and Kasumi's eyes grew wide at what Ayane was wearing. They couldn't stop staring at her chests, and Kasumi thought that her dress was too sexy. Now she felt a little underdressed.

Ayane rolled her eyes. "Stop staring at my boobs will you?"

"I hope Hayate didn't catch you wearing that, and how do you even breathe in that thing." Wondered Kasumi.

"Hey, at least I'm wearing pants." Ayane replied.

The two ninjas guarding the entrance couldn't help but stare as well. Ayane turned her gaze strictly at them and they immediately looked away.

Momiji chuckled. "Come on girls, let's get going already. I think we all look super-hot."

Kasumi and Ayane nodded and they began making their way towards the city.

Soon after, the kunoichis arrived in the city where the concert was taking place. Kasumi looked around, amazed at how many people there were. Many people that passed them by were checking them out. Ayane seemed to enjoy the attention, and Kasumi thought that it was amusing how it wasn't just guys who stared at Ayane's chests but also girls.

"Look at the stage, its huge…who is this artist anyway?" Ayane wondered.

Momiji looked at their tickets, "Tina Armstrong. I hope she is good Kasumi."

"Trust me she is." Kasumi smiled.

Ayane frowned, "Why does that name sounds familiar…"

"From the Dead or Alive tournament while back, remember?" Kasumi reminded.

"Right, the one that talks funny…now I remember."

"Hold on, how did you get these VIP passes?" Momiji then asked.

"I guess I haven't told you guys. I kept in touch with Tina after the tournament. In fact, she let me stay with her in Canada for a while when things got rough between me and Ri...um…"

"Who?" Momiji wondered, since Kasumi didn't finish what she was saying.

"Never mind. But we became close friends. Tina had been trying to get her career going as a rock star, this is her first world tour and she send me these tickets."

She hadn't told them much about her trip, only that she stayed in Canada for a while. Ayane had been asking about Rig after Hayate made such a fuss about it, but Kasumi somehow managed to avoid any details about what truly happened to her. She had to be an example to Ayane as she didn't want Ayane to think that it was okay to be treated like crap by a man. But now that she thought about it, her sister was a lot smarter than she was, and she doubted that Ayane would ever get in an abusive relationship.

The concert was held in a large stadium with the security guards on each corner. The girls went ahead and showed the guard at the main gate their tickets and got inside the stadium to find their row and seats. Kasumi took a moment and gazed around, and the crowd has a life of its own. Everyone looked pumped and happy. Looking at how many people there were was making her slightly claustrophobic. The stage was wide, full of colorful lights. There were wide screens on the left and right corner of the stage. It was amazing. Kasumi couldn't wait to be entertain.

Soon, the band began playing and Tina came out greeting to the crowds. She walked back and forth the stage, as she welcomed everyone loudly through the microphone. Then Tina spotted Kasumi at the front row and waved to her. Kasumi waved back. Tina began performing her first song, and it was a fast one. Everybody was dancing and singing along while the music fill through their souls pumping their adrenalin with happiness. The girls seemed to have a lot of fun moving along with the crowd. The atmosphere was electric.

After a good one and half hour show, Tina presented her last song. The song was about friendship. She dedicated the song to Kasumi. Ayane and Momiji looked at Kasumi and smiled. Kasumi placed a hand on her chest feeling honored. Once the concert finished, the girls were invited to Tina's suite in a fancy hotel in Tokyo. It wasn't far away from the stadium and so they began making their way to the hotel. As they were walking through an alley, Kasumi tripped on a small rock and stumbled to the ground.

"Just my luck…" She sighed.

Ayane and Momiji hadn't noticed Kasumi had tripped and went ahead of her. Kasumi then hurried back up and then bend down quickly to pick her items that had fallen out her purse. Two males passes her by. They were checking out her behind, studying Kasumi's figure in her revealing dress. Suddenly, one of them gave her a hard slap on her butt and laughed while doing so. In a heartbeat, Kasumi turned around in a ninja speed making cherry blossoms petals appeared around her, quickly grabbing the guy's neck, slammed him hard against the wall and then lifted him up against the wall with only one arm. Her eyes changed the color from honey brown to crimson red, giving the guy an intense killing stare. Momiji and Ayane heard the fuss behind them, they immediately turned around and hurried back to Kasumi.

"Hey! Let my friend go, what the hell lady?!" His friend shouted and tried grabbing Kasumi's arm off his friend. Kasumi punch him in the stomach with her free hand, sending him to the ground spitting blood, but kept her eyes on the guy that had slap her butt.

"Say you're sorry or I will end you right here." She growled.

Momiji and Ayane looked at Kasumi with wide-eyed.

"Kasumi, I think he's learned his lesson…" Ayane nervously interfere.

"Not until he say he's sorry."

The guy looked beyond terrified and his face was turning blue, "I'm...sorry…" He could barely get any words out. But Kasumi still didn't let go.

"Kasumi let go of him!" Momiji told her. She didn't seem to listen. Ayane prepare herself to stop Kasumi before she shut that guy's lung for good, they didn't need this kind of attention and they do not hurt random civilians. Kasumi was getting out of line.

Suddenly, Kasumi released him. The guy fell to the ground holding his neck in pain trying to catch his breath. Her eyes turned back to her natural color. The guys slowly backed away from them.

"What kind of a psycho are you lady…what are you a witch or something…?"

Ayane rolled her eyes. "Do you want to stick around and find out or do you want to live? Get the hell out of here!"

They ran out of there in a flash. Kasumi bend back down to grab her purse, as if nothing had happened.

Momiji and Ayane exchanged a what just happened glances. Kasumi rose back up and looked at the girls.

"Let's go." She said.

"Wait, Kasumi, what was that just now...?" Ayane asked.

"He slapped my butt and I showed him. Did they really think they can disrespect a girl like that without any consequences?"

"But you almost revealed who you are in a public place like this, and you almost killed that guy..." Momiji added.

"But I didn't. Look, can we just go?"

"Yeah, I guess." Momiji was still confused. Though she thought that those guys deserved it, Kasumi's cold behavior however concerned her a little. She truly believed that Kasumi would had killed the guy if they hadn't stopped her.

Not wasting any more time, they continued making their way to the hotel. Once they got there, Kasumi knocked on the door to Tina's suite. The door opened and Tina screamed in excitement.

"KASUMI! Oh my god woman, it has been too long." She bear hug her friend.

Tina's large chests were suffocating her. "Tina, I can't breathe…"

"Oh sorry." Tina looked at Momiji and Ayane. Then her eyes tracked to Ayane's chests.

"Ooh la la, that is one…slutty outfit you got there."

Ayane slightly leaned to Momiji, "Did she just call me a slut…?"

Kasumi quickly changed the subject before Ayane say something rude back. "Uh Tina, you remember my sister Ayane and this is my friend Momiji."

Tina smiled. "Good to meet you Momiji, and wow you're stunning. You look like an elf princess."

"Um, thank you."

"Good to see you again Ayane. You were just a baby back at the tournament, obviously you're all grown up now." Tina raised a brow at Ayane's breasts.

Ayane gave her a are you kidding me smile. "Good to see you too Tina, still talking funny I see..."

Kasumi couldn't help but giggle. Finally, someone who got just as big blunt personality as her little sister. It was funny to her somewhat.

"Alright girls, what are we standing out here for? Get inside."

They all went inside, and all eyes grew large at how huge the suite was. Almost like an apartment hotel. Large TV screen, a living room and even a bar around the corner.

"Wow Tina, you're leaving large now huh... I'm happy for you." Kasumi said while gazing around in a amazed expression.

"Hard work always paid off, and I never forget who my real friends are who believed in me when nobody else did." Tina replied, handing them all champagne glasses. She then raised her glass and toasted with the girls.

"Feel free to do whatever you want girls, make yourself at home. Mi casa su casa."

Momiji and Ayane decided to head out to the balcony to check on the view. From that high of ground, they could see the whole Tokyo from up there. But Kasumi stayed inside because she was dying to catch up with Tina. They sat down on a large white fluffy couch.

"So Kasumi, how have you been?" Tina asked.

"I've been good. I've gone back to what I used to do."

"I'm glad to hear it. I missed you when you left, you were like my best friend."

"I missed you too, Tina. I'm glad that we kept in touch but you know why I had to leave..."

"I sure do honey. He made your life a living hell didn't he, if I had known things were that bad between you..."

"It was my own fault for letting it go that far." Kasumi interrupted. "So um, how is he doing nowadays?" She asked out of curiosity.

Tina chuckled, "I don't know what you did to him but after you left, he found god or something. He literally did a one eighty change."

"I see..."

"Kasumi…"

"Yes?"

Tina suddenly hesitated to continue. "Never mind, the words slipped out of my mind. I forgot what I wanted to say."

"Oh, okay." Kasumi didn't think more of it.

Her gaze tracked to Kasumi's finger. "Wow, what is that?"

"Yep!" She waved it with a giggle, confirming indeed that it was a wedding ring.

"No way!" Tina grabbed Kasumi's hand to look closer. "Damn girl, who is the lucky guy?"

She was about to answer...

"Is it the best friend you always talked about?"

Kasumi nodded with a smile. "Congrats! I knew you wanted him, your eyes always sparkled every time you talked about him."

"He had always been a very important person in my life." Kasumi replied.

"That's great Kasumi, you deserve to be with a good guy. But why didn't I get any invitation to the wedding? and I thought we're friends..." Tina pouted.

"Believe me, I would have invited you but we got married in a non-traditional way, so there wasn't any big celebration or anything. Just him and I."

"I get it. People do crazy thing when they are in love." Tina teased.

Kasumi smiled with a twist, thinking how funny she would have sounded if she had said her husband hated being in love with her.

Then Momiji and Ayane got back inside. They continued their nights with drinks, talking, laughing and singing until they realized it was very late. The girls decided to head back to their villages and Tina made Kasumi promised to hang out that week, since she would be there for another week due to promotions of her album. They said their goodbyes.

When the elevator door slid open, a person came out. Kasumi's body stiffened like a statue, her purse dropped from her trembling hand and hit the floor when she looked at who it was. Ayane and Momiji went inside but they held the door for Kasumi.

"Kasumi are you coming?" Asked Momiji.

"Yeah, hang on." She replied in a hurry.

"She is so clumsy today..." Ayane frowned.

The man stared at Kasumi, and he looked just as shock as she was. Their eyes locked intensely. Kasumi soon snapped out of it and quickly grabbed her belongings from the floor that had fallen out her purse. He bend down in front of her to help gather her things but Kasumi quickly stopped him.

"I got it."

He stopped and raised back up but didn't take his eyes off her.

"Kasumi…" He said her name in a low whisper.

Kasumi didn't respond. Once she was done, she walked passed him towards Ayane and Momiji. He suddenly grabbed her by her wrist.

"Wait…please." He pleaded.

Kasumi paused, looking at his hand on her wrist. The memories of that painful day when he beat her black and blue came brightly back in her mind. He looked at the scar on her arm, the scar he had given her. He let out a deep sigh of shame.

"Let go of my hand Rig." She kept her voice low to avoid Momiji and Ayane from hearing her.

He let go and Kasumi went inside the elevator. He was still looking at her, Kasumi looked back at him until the door closed.

"Did you know him Kasumi?" Momiji wondered. But she didn't hear Momiji. Her eyes were getting teary and she was trying all she could not to let her tears spill in front of the girls.

"Kasumi?"

"Uh, no I didn't know him. He thought that I was someone he knew." She lied.

They didn't questioned her any further. Ayane however didn't buy it. She knew that the guy was the famous Rig Donovan that made Hayate's blood boiled hot. She didn't know much what was up with Kasumi and him but if Hayate got that furious, he must have been bad news, thought Ayane. It had been a long night, so she left Kasumi alone about it for tonight.

Ayane got home first. Then Kasumi said her good night to Momiji and headed back to the house. She grabbed her phone from her purse and called Tina.

"Tina, what the hell. Why didn't you tell me that Rig was here too…?"

" _I tried to, but I didn't think that you want to hear his name and I didn't expect that you would run into him either."_

"You're right, I don't care really. I was just a little surprised that's all, and what is he doing here anyway?"

" _I hire him to work for me. He is one of my bodyguard now. Sorry Kasumi, I should have told you."_

"It's fine, like I said I was just a little surprised. Alright, good night Tina."

" _Good night Kasumi."_

Seeing Rig again opened up the old wounds that she couldn't help it. Once she arrived at the house, Kasumi grabbed the house key out of her purse and open the door. She went straight to the kitchen to drink a glass of water, to calm down and to get rid the aftershock feelings after seeing Rig again. He looked so different, she thought. His eyes were so full of regret and his deep voice. His voice used to make her so weak.

"Snap out of it…" She told herself, drinking another glass of water.

Ryu had been leaning against the kitchen door for a few minutes now but Kasumi hadn't noticed him. He frowned strangely at her since Kasumi had been mumbling to herself ever since he got there.

"Is everything alright?" He asked.

Startled, Kasumi quickly turned around dropping her glass to the floor shattering it. How did she not notice him there? Kasumi wondered, a lot was clearly on her mind.

"God, don't do that, you always do that..." She bent down in annoyance to pick up the broken pieces of the glass. "Why am I so clumsy today…" Kasumi continued mumbling to herself. Ryu trailed his gaze to her hand. She was shaking and it made him frowned strangely. He then lowered down in front of her, placed his hand on hers to stop her from picking the rest of the pieces.

"I'll do it." He softly said, and she let him.

Soon Ryu rose back up and looked her in the eyes. "What's wrong?" He asked, as Kasumi looked furious. She didn't answer but only stared into his eyes.

"Kasumi, you can talk to me."

"Can I Ryu? Can I really?" She crossed her arms in annoyance. All the bottled up frustrations for the past month became unbearable. Something about that night triggered her and she finally have had enough. She couldn't ignore the distance he had put between them.

Ryu frowned at her.

She began letting out her frustration. "The reason why I married you was because we were so right with each other, we could tell each other anything, it was wide open between us."

"You can still tell me anything," He looked at her dead-on. His eyes gave her nothing and his voice was flat.

"What about you, Ryu? Do you think you can tell me anything? Because if you do, I'm not getting it. Except when you're making love to me, I don't feel the least bit close to you anymore. I don't…I don't know what you think anymore. I don't know what you feel, it seems like…it's all tangled up between us."

He said nothing for several seconds that seemed like decades. Finally he muttered, "I'm sorry you're upset."

She was mad as hell with him. "You didn't answer my question. Do you still think you can tell me anything?"

Another long silence. Then he responded, "Yes."

"I don't believe you."

He shook his head lightly, "This is going nowhere…"

"You're right. This is going nowhere, fast. I ask you over and over if something's bothering you. You always say no and yet, every day you feel farther from me than the day before. So I…I worked up my nerve, I tell you I love you. You say you love me, too. But you're not happy about it. To you, loving me is the worst thing that ever happened to you."

"That's not what I said…" He kept his voice low and calm while Kasumi raised hers.

"But it is what you meant. Don't try to deny it. You told me you loved me too. And when I asked you why you never talked to me about anything that matters anymore, you said the state you were in wasn't conducive to conversation, and that was all. You wouldn't say any more about it.

He held his silence and listened to everything she had to say with a deep frown. She wasn't sure what he was thinking, he might be mad at her and she felt like a living, breathing definition of the word nag, but she couldn't stop.

"We made love. It was wonderful and everything was fine again. Except it wasn't fine, It's not fine. It's not fine in the least. It's…its empty, Ryu. It's going through the motions. That's what we do, we go through the motions. We don't have what we started out with. I had a best friend at the beginning, and I don't anymore. I want to know, Ryu. What in hell have you done with my best friend?"

He didn't answer. What a surprise. He just stared at her, a distant kind of stare that said he didn't want to deal with this… he didn't want to deal with her.

"What do you want me to say Kasumi…"

Frustrated tears burned in her eyes. One spilled over, she felt it dribble down her cheek.

"Why don't you just yell at me? Why don't you just do something to let me know that you're in there, to let me know that you care?"

His lip curled in a sneer. "You'd like that, wouldn't you? If I started yelling at you, maybe broke a lamp or two and maybe I'll get angry enough and even put a few bruises on you. It would make you feel right at home."

She put her hand to her throat and sucked in a shuddery breath. "H-how…could you…" She backed away a few steps from him. "That really hurt, Ryu…"

Ryu sighed. At least he looked sorry. "That was out of line…but can't you just be a little patient? Can't you just give it some time? Things will get better, you'll see."

More tears spilled over. "And what if they don't?" She wiped at her damp cheeks, one and then the other, with the back of her hand. "What if we just get farther and farther apart, in our hearts? What if you just keep on dragging around here, looking like somebody shot your dog, only coming to life when we're in bed together? I don't know if I can stand that."

"Just wait you'll see. Things will get better." He said the words again. Making her wonder who he was trying so hard to convince.

She argued the obvious. "But things aren't getting better. They're getting worse."

He rubbed his eyes, and then scraped his hands down his weary face. "Kasumi. Can we just leave it? Can we just…let it be?"

"No, we can't. I'm sorry but letting it be isn't working for me."

"What do you want from me?" He was getting frustrated with Kasumi. He hates arguing.

"I want to… understand why you're not happy anymore. I want you to explain to me what is going on with you."

He let his arms drop heavily to his sides. "I'm crazy for you, okay? Its…not what I wanted. But it happened. And now, I'm only waiting for the craziness to pass."

Her frustration rose again. She tried her best to keep it under control, to speak quietly. "Realistically Ryu, what's so horrible about us being in love with each other?"

"It's not what we…"

Her frustration rose up a level and now she couldn't no longer control it and raised her voice. "Okay, okay. It's not what we agreed on, not what we planned. It was a shock for me too at first. But, hey. Try learning to live with it, why don't you? I have. And I've discovered that it's just not that much of a hardship to be in love with my own husband!"

"You're shouting," He said darkly.

"You're damn right I am!"

"I hate it when people shout…" He gave her a slight warning look.

"But you don't seem to hear me Ryu!"

"Bring it down, Kasumi." He spoke so softly, but the look in his eyes threatened dire consequences if she didn't lower her voice.

Somehow, with great effort, she dialed it down a notch. "The real truth is, I think it's kind of wonderful to be in love with you."

To that, he made a low disgusted kind of sound. She resisted the powerful urge from picking up the nearest lamp and hurled it at his thick skull.

She shouted again. "It happened… _Love_ happened. You act like it's the end of the world, what is so terrible about being nuts over your own wife?"

His teeth were clenched so tight, a muscle leaped in his jaw. "The point is, I don't want to be nuts, not even over you. I'm not a nuts kind of guy."

"Oh, please. Think again Ryu. You are nuts over me, you said so yourself. You were nuts over Irene and that makes you a nuts kind of guy."

Kasumi didn't back down, "You're punishing me and yourself for what they did to you. Irene and your mother. I am not like them, I would never betray you and deep down you know that. But you treated me as if I had done you wrong. I don't deserve this Ryu!"

He shook his head. "You don't…understand Kasumi, this problem I have, being in love with you…it's only temporary. There's solid science on this whole problem and…"

Kasumi stared at him with wide-eyed, frowning deeply. He was deflective to anything she had to say. She interrupt him. "This problem. The problem of being crazy in love with me?"

"Yeah."

"I'm a problem…I'm your problem."

"That is not what I said."

"Gee. It sure sounded like it." She rolled her eyes.

"Kasumi. This is going nowhere, I don't want this. I don't want to fight with you."

"I don't either, but what did you expect me to do or how to feel? We promised that we would never do this to each other, screaming and yelling and yet look at us."

"I have not raised my voice at you." Ryu quickly replied.

"That's just terrific, so now I'm the bad guy. In case you didn't noticed we're on our way to divorce court."

 _Divorce…oh god, I said it._

She regretted letting her words get that far. But it was too late. The D-word hung there, poisoning the air between them. Ryu stared at her. Silence surrounded them.

In a low calm voice, Ryu asked. "Is that what you want, then, a divorce?"

Tears raced down Kasumi's cheeks, finally feeling beat down and overwhelm by everything.

"No… how can you even think that?" She didn't look at him.

"Well Kasumi, you said it."

Sighing deeply, she lowered herself to a chair nearby, feeling hopeless, miserable and utterly defeated. "Ryu. I don't know what to say to you, how to deal with you, where to…go from here…"

She hoped that he would come to her, put a comforting hand on her shoulder, and tell her again that it would be all right. Even if it wasn't true. If he would only reached out a hand to her…

But he didn't. He stayed where he was. "I think enough has been said for one night. More than enough."

Kasumi sighed and forced herself to look at him. "Um…yeah, you're right. We should go to bed. I guess…you go ahead. I'll be there…in a while."

Ryu gave her a stern look. "All right, then." And that was it. He turned to the bedroom and left her sitting there.

Kasumi never joined Ryu in their bed that night. She slept in one of the spare rooms. Ryu heard her slammed the door to the other room and thought, fine. Let her sleep alone. He was furious at her. Furious, and cut to the core. He didn't dare try to deal with her anymore that night. The violence and confusion within him might get loose. He might say or do something from which the two of them as a couple would never recover. They'd end up yelling at each other. Going at it blow for verbal blow. Living his worst nightmare. Hurting each other beyond the point of saving what they had together, getting completely out of control. Becoming his own father. An image of his father screaming and yelling at his mother emerged in his mind. He remember him putting his hand on her, that night when she left, they had the worse argument and he had slapped her across her face. The image terrified him until this day. He had that urge, for a brief moment, he felt that urge to slap Kasumi when she refused to back down and left the subject alone.

Kasumi couldn't stop the tears, she had been sobbing ever since they stop arguing. Somehow, she felt like it was her fault, and that she shouldn't have yelled at him. She was desperate. Her phone made a beeping sound. She forced herself out of bed to see who had send her a message in the middle of the night. It was from Tina. She had asked Kasumi to meet her at a 24 hours coffee shop in Tokyo. She found it a little strange but due what just happened, she'd rather be anywhere else but home. Not thinking twice about it, Kasumi grabbed her sweater, put her boots on, then ran out of the house and disappeared towards the city. With ninja speed, it didn't take too long for her to get there.

She arrived at the coffee shop. It seemed like she got there first. She went ahead inside, took her seat, and waited for Tina. She wondered what was so urgent that Tina needed to talk to her this late. The door to the coffee shop opened wide grabbing Kasumi's attention. Her eyes grew wide, and her heart pounded crazily when Rig was the one that walked through the door. Kasumi tried to look behind him, hoping that Tina was with him. But no one… only him. Did he trick her? Tina would never had let this happen. Knowing Rig, he had probably snooped around Tina's phone to find her number and tricked her there. Now her blood was boiling hot. How dare he, thought Kasumi. After what happened with Ryu, she wasn't sure that she had enough energy to deal with Rig. Rig went over to her and took a seat in front of her. She froze where she sat, arguing within herself to get her butt moving so she could leave. However, a little part of her wanted to stay. So she decided to stay and hear what he had to say.


	10. Chapter 10

Ryu didn't drop off to sleep until sometimes after three and when he did, he had a nightmare. Tossing and turning, clutching the bed sheet with sweats covered his body. In the dream, Ryu's entire body was paralyze. He could only observe what was happening in front of him. There was a crib, inside laid a crying infant. He couldn't see its face only the toddler's small hands. He wanted to go over to comfort the child but unable to do so.

Then his eyes narrowed at a shadow of a man slowly approaching the crib. The man wore a psychopath's smile. He stared down at the infant with cruel deadly crimson eyes. Ryu forced himself to move but his body refused. The man didn't seem to notice Ryu in the room. Full concern clouded Ryu's face when the man brought his hand inside the crib. The infant's cry became hysterical.

"No, don't hurt him...stay away from him!"

The man reacted to Ryu's scream. Immediately, his stare shifted from the infant to Ryu.

Ryu's body suddenly unfroze, bringing his gaze down to his own hands. "Blood…" his hands covered with fresh blood. The man laughed. A scary laugh like dead leaves rustling in a winter wind, like a dangerous of a poisonous snake. Then suddenly a dark shadow was towering over him, big enough to block out the sun, to swallow all the light in the world.

Ryu woke sitting up, dripping cold sweat, blinking arming sweat from his eyes and the sheets all tangled around him. He saw Kasumi's side of the bed was still empty. He got up, went to the bathroom, drank water from the tap and took special care not to meet his own eyes in the wide mirror that spanned the long counter and the two sinks. Back in the bedroom, he straightened the covers and got into bed again, turning on his side, away from the empty place where his wife should have been.

 **...**

Rig hadn't said a word since he walked in there. He had been staring at her for almost a full minute that seemed like forever to Kasumi, long enough to make her heart beat crazily in an uneasy way. She couldn't figure what was it that this man had on her that make her entire body and soul tremble, making her so weak…

"Are you going to just stare at me and waste even more of my time?" She broke the silence, as his stare was getting a little uncomfortable.

"It's just really good to see you. I'd never thought that I would ever see you again…after…"

"Stuck on your words? After you beat me black and blue and treated me like a piece of garbage?" _Dear god_ , she could just hear herself. Never had she sounded so bitter over anything in her entire life. Kasumi couldn't help it. First Ryu and now Rig…on the same night. She just realized that her life was turning into a soap opera on repeat.

Rig leaned back on his chair and lowered his gaze. He looked ashamed.

Kasumi frowned. "Why are you really here? It must be that important if you had to snoop Tina's phone to lure me here…"

"About that, I would appreciate if you don't tell Tina since she's my boss now..."

"She's my friend. I don't like lying to her." She coldly replied.

"I'm not asking you to lie…"

Kasumi shifted in her seat and let out a frustrated sigh. "Listen Rig, I just had a very long night so can we please just…" Her words were cut off.

"Kasumi, I didn't make you come here tonight to ask for forgiveness as I have no right to ask anything of you."

"Then what do you want?"

"Well, I probably won't see you again after tonight, so I want you to know that I am deeply sorry for how things went between us. This is going to sound strange but you saved my life. I was going on the wrong path and losing you made me realize what a fool I've been."

Silence filled the air between them. Funny, she thought... that this wasn't the first time she had heard him say those words. Back then, when they were still together, he would come back pleading by saying the thing he just said. However, there was a slight difference this time. He sounded more real and there was a genuine sound in his voice which was a pleasant surprise to her. Kasumi found it hard to look at him at first but that suddenly had changed.

"You seem different…and it suits you. So calm and genuine." Her voice softened.

Rig smiled charmingly. "Notice something interesting?"

Kasumi tried to figure what he was referring to, when she couldn't, she shook her head.

"This coffee shop…when I visited you in Tokyo a few years back, remember?"

It hit her. "Right, it takes me back now for sure…"

She smiled without realizing that she did and so did he. Then they felt awkward realizing that they were smiling to each other. Both of their smiles quickly faded.

"You know, deep down I really want to hate you. Like really really want to hate you." She said.

"I wouldn't blame you if you do. I was so lost without you Kasumi, I would have done anything to have you back in my life, to make things right. To make you fall in love with me all over again."

Her eyes grew large hearing that, "Please don't go there…" she quickly interrupt.

Kasumi was suddenly getting a headache and her heart ached even more. She looked down at her finger, looking at her wedding ring. Here she was with the man who was begging for her love, while her husband hated being in love with her... What a crazy world she live in, shaking her head at her thoughts. A single unexpected tear ran down her cheek but she wipe it away before it manage to drip from her chin, and then Kasumi abruptly rose up from her chair to leave. This was too much for her. She didn't even know why she would waste her time listening to Rig. This could be another one of his manipulative cruel lies and she wasn't about to fall for it again.

Rig was surprised, as he thought that he had upset her. He got to try and stop her from leaving. "Kasumi…"

"I have to go. You don't have the right to do this."

Kasumi quickly got out of there leaving him standing with a deep frown of disappointment across his face.

...

Ryu had been tossing and turning, he struggled to fall back to sleep. He then sat up on his bed running his hands across his face in frustration. He missed her but she made him so mad. Shoving the cover off him, Ryu got out of bed to go get something to drink. As he passed by the hallway towards the kitchen, his feet briefly paused at the door to the spare room where Kasumi was supposedly be sleeping. He wanted to go in there to check on her but hesitated, and plus he didn't want to wake her. It had been a long night for the both of them. Instead, he continued towards the kitchen. After drinking a glass of water, Ryu headed back to his room.

Kasumi opened the front door and tiptoed towards her room, but abruptly stopped in her steps when the sight of Ryu startled her in the hallway. He stood stiff frowning deeply at her. She wanted to ask him what he was doing up but his stare were too intimidating making her lips froze. He probably wondered the same thing and Kasumi felt like she needed to explain herself of where she had been just now, that Rig was in town and that she went to see him even though she didn't intent to. They had promised to keep it honest between them, she still wanted to hold on to that despite knowing how Ryu felt about Rig, but still it was worth mentioning before he took it wrongly if he somehow found out later on.

"Um, Ryu…" Her stomach suddenly tied itself in a painful clump of knot.

His expression changed all of sudden. He looked…wary. There were shadows in his eyes as well under them. As she watched his guard go up, she had that sense again. That he didn't really trust her, that he felt he had to protect himself, somehow…protect himself from _her._

He tried evasion. "Listen, Kasumi." He actually took a step back from her. "I'm beat. Whatever it is…can it wait until tomorrow?"

Kasumi felt rejected once again. She gave him a simple flat tone reply, "Yeah..."

Ryu then walked pass her back to his room. The door closed. Why didn't he question where she was like he usually would…? she wondered. It didn't matter. Sighing, Kasumi went to her room. There was no point in talking to him anyway. She went straight to bed and just wanted to forget about the whole day.

The next morning they were elaborately careful with each other, polite and mostly silent. Ryu was curious about where Kasumi was all night, but he wasn't in the mood to start a conversation as he was still angry with her. She didn't want to talk about what she wanted to tell him last night either. Because now she felt like he didn't care about what she had to say. Therefore, she put it off. What a pair they were, working so hard, both of them, to keep the things that needed saying from ever getting talked about.

He looked at her now and then while eating his breakfast. She had been avoiding a complete eye contact with him. He was the master of reading expression, but it was hard for him to read her that morning. Was she upset? Sad? Furious? He should feel bad, he should have comforted her, but he didn't as Kasumi brought it on herself thought Ryu. He stared at her while he was thinking all of this and still she didn't make any effort to look at him. After cleaning his plate, he left with a simple see you later and disappeared out the door.

At home that evening, Kasumi cooked dinner while Ryu sat in his favorite chair in the living room reading a book, _her_ book. When the food was ready they ate a silent meal, one during which they both carefully avoided making eye contact. Not a word were exchange between them. Ryu helped with washing the dishes while Kasumi cleaned the rest and then they went back to doing their own business. The silence was killing her within but after their last argument, Kasumi was too defeated to approach him about anything. Ryu went to the living room and continued on reading.

Ayane called at seven, her phone was on the table in front of Ryu. Kasumi hurried towards it to pick it up. He forced himself to stare at the book, to ignore the bleak sound of her footstep moving away from him going back to her room. A half an hour later, she came back out, her eyes and nose red and puffy. Though she pointedly did not speak to him or look his way, Ryu got the message loud and clear. She had been crying on the phone to her baby sister. He probably shouldn't have let that get to him, shouldn't begrudge her for needing someone to talk to when she was feeling low. But he did begrudge her. He felt betrayed. He wondered what kind of rotten stuff she had been saying to Ayane about him. But he didn't ask. He didn't say a damn word. There was no sense in going there, nothing but trouble would come of it.

By the next night when he got home late, he found their bed empty again. He marched towards the spare room where his wife had been staying. He didn't quite know why he felt the urge to check on her. He gently pushed the unlock door open keeping his presence as quiet as possible. He carefully peeked inside the dark room and Kasumi seemed to be peacefully asleep. Ryu stood still in her doorway with his arms folded across his chest and his shoulder pressed against the doorway, completely hidden by the shadows looking at her laying figure. He realized that this stand-off was getting to be a pattern. They were leading separate lives under the same roof. He knew he should do something about it but he was still so damn mad at her. He wanted to grab her and shake her until she came to her senses and started acting rationally. He wanted to shout at her so bad it made an itching sensation under his skin. Therefore, he put it off. He didn't know how to deal with Kasumi at this point.

The weekend arrived. Usually weekend means date nights and a lot of sex. But this time it went pretty much the same as the days before it. Kasumi woke up early. She ran the vacuum and washed windows. Ryu got out of bed, though he would like to get some extra sleep after a long week with duties, but he couldn't since Kasumi was making too much noise. He might as well start his day early and go train with Momiji and he also had promised Sanji to continue with their sword training.

He walked out of the room and Kasumi was still washing windows. She didn't reacted to his presence. Ryu dared to ask his estrange wife if she needed help with anything. She gave him a simple monoton voice reply, "I'm okay." Sighing, Ryu continued towards the kitchen to fix a little breakfast for himself. Once he got there, the breakfast was already set nicely on the table for him. He could still see her from the kitchen, this silence was beginning to kill him. He sat down and began eating his breakfast alone thinking about what his marriage had become.

Soon after, he grabbed his belongings and made his way out. On the way out the door, he saw Kasumi came out from their bedroom with some nicely folded clothes in her hands. She only looked at him for a brief second and then disappeared into her own room. Ryu continued making his way out. When he got back at noon, she wasn't there but she had left a note on the table in the living room.

~ _Having lunch in the city. Back by four. Dinner at my parents. Six o'clock~_

Right, he thought. Kasumi had mentioned the dinner last week. Back when they were still speaking to each other.

Still _sleeping_ with each other…

And who the hell was she having lunch with, anyway?

Not that it mattered. Not that he needed to know…

Ryu gazed towards the clock, it had only been an hour since he got home. Time was going slow for him that day. He had already taken the shower, sharpening his dragon sword and now he was reading. He had been reading the same paragraph over and over because his mind was elsewhere and then he had to re-read the paragraph when his mind wandered away again. He closed the book and threw it on the table as frustration sliced through him. All he could think about was his wife. He hid his face with his hands to calm himself down. He used to be so good with controlling his emotions, up until now. Why did he have to fall _in love_ with her?

 _What's the matter with me…_

He couldn't stay at home, he had to kill time somehow. Ryu decided to go to the antique shop to help Muramasa in the meanwhile. Once he got there, Muramasa didn't need much help but he was glad Ryu stopped by to keep him company since it was a slow day. Ryu then walked around the shop in aloofness mannerism, studying the antiques. He was really thinking about Kasumi. No matter what he did, she kept on torturing his mind. He didn't know what to do anymore.

"Is everything alright?" Muramasa asked, noticing that Ryu wasn't quite himself.

Ryu turned to the old man with a simple nod.

"If you need to talk about what is bothering you..."

"No, it's fine." Ryu flatly replied. He wished he could talk to someone about it. Usually, Muramasa was the one he go to for advice as Muramasa had been more of a father to him than his own father ever was. However, he didn't think that anyone would understand him.

"I have to go, see you next week." Ryu bowed and left the shop as he just realized that it was almost time to head to Mugen Tenshin for family dinner. Not that he looked forward to it, as there was nothing more irritating to him than being in the same room as Hayate. But he had promised Kasumi that he would go. On his way back, he passed by a coffee shop and his eyes locked on the two people that came out the door. Ryu kept his distance to avoid from being seen by them. Who was the man hugging his wife…? he wondered strangely to himself.

He placed a kiss on her cheek and they gave each other another long hug.

The man looked western, Ryu's first angry thought was, _Rig Donovan?_ Could this be the bastard who'd hurt her so bad? Kasumi said that Rig was a biker type and had many tattoos. Surely, this guy had his arm full of tattoos. Something dangerous slammed through Ryu at the sight of that creep's hand wrapped around his wife. The blood spurting hot and fast through his vein, he wanted to hit something, and he wanted to hurt the S.O.B Rig Donovan. The hot flood of an overprotective rage inside him grew stronger by the seconds. He just wanted to march over to them and go flat out, ugly, bust your face and furious.

 _No…_ shaking his head. This wasn't him, Ryu stepped back and turned around to head home as quickly as possible before he changed his mind. It took everything he had to walk away from the scene. He was smarter than this he told himself. Ryu disappeared and got home before Kasumi did.

Thirty minutes later, Kasumi came home. Ryu was nowhere to be found. She checked everywhere in the house because she didn't want to be late for the dinner at her parents.

"Ryu?"

No respond. She then looked for him in the last room in the house, her former bedroom. Kasumi found him sitting quietly by the end of the bed.

"Didn't you hear me calling for you? I just need to do a quick change and then I'm ready to go." Kasumi said casually.

He looked at her, with dead-on angry eyes. Kasumi blinked a couple of times, a little confused of why Ryu was giving her an intense stare. Then he looked away. She didn't know what to think nor did she dare to ask what was on his mind.

"Are we still going…?" She carefully asked to make sure.

"Yeah." He replied short and cold.

Kasumi frowned, as she felt that something wasn't right with Ryu.


End file.
